285 killed, 1,073 injured during Myanmar's water festival

Children play with water during Myanmar's New Year Water Festival outside Mandalay, Myanmar April 13, 2017. [Photo/Agencies]

YANGON -- A total of 285 people were killed and 1,073 others injured nationwide during a four-day water festival, the official Global New Light of Myanmar reported Tuesday.

The deaths were 13 more than that of last year's event.

Meanwhile, a total of 1,200 criminal cases were also registered during the water festival.

Among the deaths, 10 were in Nay Pyi Taw, 44 in Yangon, 36 in Mandalay, 26 in Sagaing region, 11 in Tanintharyi region, 37 in Bago region, 11 in Magway region, 20 in Mon state, 17 in Rakhine, 29 in Shan state and 28 in Ayeyawaddy region.

The criminal cases were related to murder, car accident, drug-use, theft, arm possession and group violence respectively, said the report.

This year's traditional Thingyan water festival ran from Thursday to Sunday.

During last year's water festival, a total of 272 people were killed and 1,086 others injured.