The four children died in the Hetanpur and Chandpur villages of Samastipur district, 175 kilometres (109 miles) north of the state capital Patna, when a group of jackals attacked residents sleeping in the open, said an elected village official, Lalan Singh.

Another three people, including a woman, died of jackal bites to the throat in the Belamegh village in the same district.

At least half a dozen children were injured in the jackal attacks, village officials said.

Singh said the jackals had come near to human settlements because of the floods in the region.

Local officials have asked villagers not to sleep in the open, but many have been forced to do so after losing their homes in the floods.

Meanwhile officials said another 11 people have drowned in the flooding in Bihar in the past three days, taking the death toll since June to 73.

A state Relief Department statement said a total of 3,600,000 people in 2,695 villages had been affected in the monsoon floods.

All the major rivers -- the Baghmati, Budhi Gandak, Koshi and Adhwara are flowing above danger levels, a Central Water Commission press release said.

"Altogether 184 relief centres, 345 health centres and 148 animal health care centres have been opened in the flood-affected districts for the help of flood victims," Upendra Sharma, deputy secretary of relief operations in the state told AFP.

"2,700 boats have been pressed into service and 768 quintal? ready food packets have been distributed among the flood victims so far."

Relief officials said trucks and rail coaches are being used to carry essential items to the flood affected districts.

TERRA.WIRE