Mandla (MP): Four children on Sunday drowned and one was rescued from a rainwater-filled pit in Dilwara village in Madhya Pradesh's Mandla district, an official said.

"Five children ventured into the uncovered pit dug by a contractor several years ago. Four of them drowned while one girl was rescued by residents," said Bichhiya tehsil sub-divisional magistrate Jitendra Patel.

He identified the deceased as Urmila (7), Saroj Maravi (12), Joseph Sarota (8) and Preeti Dhurve (11), adding that a compensation of Rs 4 lakh will be given to the kin of each of them.