Twenty-three people drowned in the south Indian state of Andhra Pradesh after plunging into rivers and lakes to wash after celebrating Holi, the raucous festival of colours, police said yesterday.

During Holi, which marks the arrival of spring, brightly coloured powder and dyed water are plastered over revellers by friends and family, leaving skin stained for days.

In the state capital, Hyderabad, 10 people drowned in separate incidents after trying to wash the dyes off their clothes.

Four people drowned in the Godavari river near the mining town of Manuguru, 270 km (170 miles) northeast of Hyderabad. ?The youths slipped when they chose to clean up in the river and were swept away,? said police officer R.K. Meena.

Two teenage girls died elsewhere after they slipped into an irrigation canal. Seven others died in different accidents.