Five people were killed while 10 others were feared drowned after a country-boat carrying 28 passengers capsized in the swollen Burhi Gandak river near Mahesaurhi village in Khagaria district, Bihar, on Tuesday.

The boat sailing to Sansarpur capsized due to high-speed winds, hardly a few minutes after it started from Mahesaurhi, District Magistrate Mayank Barware said.

While 13 people swam to safety, others were reported to have drowned, he said adding, five bodies have so far been fished out and sent to the Sadar hospital for autopsy.

Local divers with fishing nets were engaged in rescue operations, the DM said.

Official sources said chances of survival of those missing were "very bleak."

The state government has announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs 1 lakh to dependents of each of those who lost their lives in the boat tragedy.