Ranchi, Aug 4 (IANS) At least 17 people have died of diarrhoea in Jharkhand in the past two weeks, officials said Monday. According of health officials, 14 of those who succumbed to the illness were from Bundu village in Keredari block of Hazaribagh district, about 130 km from here. Of them, seven died Saturday.

Two deaths were also reported from Khelari block of Ranchi district while one died of diarrhoea in Ranchi’s Karra block.

“We have directed the health officials of Hazaribagh district to take stock of the situation and ensure medicines are supplied to villagers,” Health Minister Bhanu Pratap Sahi told reporters.

However, villagers allege that the administration has woken up too late. They say more than 40 people in Bundu are suffering from diarrhoea.

“The first diarrhoea death took place two weeks ago. The district administration and health departments failed to react on time and the situation worsened. Till now 14 people have died in the village,” a resident of Bundu village told IANS over phone.

According to health officials, more than 40 people die due to diarrhoea every year.