Following a massive surge of Hindu pilgrims at the Maha Kumbh festival in northern India early Wednesday, Indian authorities have yet to confirm casualty numbers, despite the Prime Minister acknowledging fatalities and local media reporting at least 10 deaths.

The stampede occurred when pilgrims attempting to reach a sacred river confluence attempted to breach barricades set up for a holy men’s procession, according to Uttar Pradesh state’s chief official, Yogi Adityanath, in a televised address. Adityanath stated that numerous pilgrims sustained injuries, some severe.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the event as “extremely sad” and offered condolences to the victims.

Many local news outlets reported at least 10 fatalities, with the Hindi newspaper Dainik Bhaskar citing a toll of 20.

The Associated Press repeatedly attempted to verify the death toll and injury count, contacting numerous senior officials, but all declined to release figures.

Wednesday marked a sacred day within the six-week festival, with Prayagraj city officials anticipating a record 100 million devotees for a ritual bath at the confluence of the Ganges, Yamuna, and mythical Saraswati rivers. Hindus believe this immersion washes away past sins and ends reincarnation.

The main attraction is the procession of thousands of ash-smeared Hindu ascetics to the confluence for bathing.

Millions continued to flock to the 4,000-hectare pilgrimage site despite the stampede, even as police urged them via megaphones to avoid the confluence. Adityanath advised alternative bathing locations along other riverbanks.

“The situation is now under control, but a large crowd of pilgrims remains,” Adityanath said, adding that 90 to 100 million pilgrims were present at the site.

“About 30 million people had performed the holy bath by 8 a.m. Wednesday,” he noted.

Distraught families waited outside a temporary hospital, anxiously seeking news of missing loved ones. Clothing, blankets, and backpacks littered the stampede site.

The Maha Kumbh festival, held every 12 years, began on January 13th and is the world’s largest religious gathering. Authorities expect over 400 million attendees in total. Almost 150 million have already participated, including Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, and celebrities like Coldplay’s Chris Martin.

A vast tent city has been erected on the riverbanks to accommodate millions. It includes roads, electricity, water, 3,000 kitchens, and 11 hospitals.

Around 50,000 security personnel are deployed for crowd control and law enforcement, supplemented by over 2,500 cameras monitoring crowd movement and density to prevent similar incidents.

The 45-day festival is a significant cultural event for India’s Hindus, comprising nearly 80% of the nation’s 1.4 billion people. It also holds prestige for Modi, whose ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party emphasizes Hindu cultural symbols.

The Maha Kumbh festival has experienced previous stampedes. In 2013, at least 40 pilgrims perished in a stampede at a Prayagraj train station during the same festival.

Deadly stampedes are relatively common at Indian religious festivals with large crowds gathering in confined spaces. In July, at least 116 people, mostly women and children, died in a stampede at a religious gathering’s tent camp in Hathras town.

—Saaliq reported from New Delhi.