Patna, Aug 11 (IANS): Three persons drowned on Sunday in Bihar's Arrah district while inspecting an under-construction building in the Majhaua airport locality.

The building was situated next to a manhole filled with floodwater.

According to officials, one of the victims accidentally slipped into the water.

The flow of water was so strong that when two of his friends attempted to rescue him, they also jumped but were unable to save him or themselves.

Passersby, who witnessed the incident, quickly alerted authorities by calling the emergency helpline number 112.

The local district administration officials, along with residents, responded and managed to retrieve the bodies from the water.

The victims were rushed to the Sadar Hospital, where doctors declared them dead.

The deceased have been identified as Aniket Kumar Pandey (20), Subham Kumar (15) and Atul Kumar Shukla (17), all residents of Arrah.

Vikas Kumar, the Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) of Arrah Sadar range, provided further details about the incident.

"One of the victims lost his life after slipping into a pit filled with floodwater, likely due to soil erosion at the edge of the pit, which the victim did not notice. When two of his friends attempted to save him, they too were swept away by the strong currents and drowned," Kumar said.

The SDO added that the families of the victims have been informed, and further action was being taken by the authorities.

The incident has raised concerns about safety measures in the region, particularly as continuous rain in the Bhojpur district has led to ponds and canals being filled with floodwater.

The district administration has not installed warning boards to alert people about the dangers posed by such pits, ponds and canals.

This may have contributed to the unfortunate deaths, highlighting a need for immediate safety precautions in the area.