Several people die in a stampede in Maha Kumbh festival in India

Prayagraj, India Jan.30: Hours after a massive rush of Hindu pilgrims set off a stampede at the Maha Kumbh festival in northern India early Wednesday, authorities were yet to release casualty figures even as the prime minister acknowledged the loss of lives and local media reports said 10 people had died.

The stampede happened when pilgrims rushing to a sacred river confluence tried to jump barricades erected for a procession of holy men, Uttar Pradesh state's top elected official, Yogi Adityanath, said in a televised statement. Adityanath said pilgrims were injured, some seriously, in the stampede.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the incident "extremely sad" and extended his condolences to victims.

Most local news websites said at least 10 people were killed, with the newspaper Dainik Bhaskar putting the death toll at 20.

The Associated Press made repeated attempts to confirm the death toll and total number of injuries, contacting multiple senior officials, but all said they were not authorized to release figures.

Wednesday was a sacred day during a six-week festival, and authorities in Prayagraj city were expecting a record 100 million devotees to engage in a ritual bath at the confluence of the Ganges, the Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati rivers. Hindus believe that a dip at the holy site can cleanse them of their past sins and end the process of reincarnation.

The main draw is the thousands of ash-smeared Hindu ascetics who make massive processions toward the confluence to bathe.

Millions continued to throng the 4,000-hectare (15-square mile) pilgrimage site despite the stampede, even as police urged them over megaphones to avoid the confluence. Adityanath urged people to instead take baths at other riverbanks.

"The situation is now under control, but there is a massive crowd of pilgrims," Adityanath said, adding that 90 million to 100 million pilgrims were at the site.

"About 30 million people had taken the holy bath by 8 a.m. Wednesday," he said.

Distressed families lined up outside a makeshift hospital, desperate for news of their missing loved ones. Clothes, blankets and backpacks were strewn around the site of the stampede.(AP)