New Delhi, Aug 19 - Natural disasters like the 2008 floods in India leave children vulnerable to trafficking and many girls end up being 'sold as brides', says a new report by a global child rights group.

'Post-disaster, human trafficking has become common in the region (South Asia) as increasing manmade conflicts and natural disasters leave the already poor even more vulnerable,' says the study by global child rights group ECPAT International, supported by the Body Shop International.

The 2008 floods in Bihar - the worst in recent years - resulted in a 'spurt in human trafficking from the region', said the report titled 'Their Protection is in Our Hands: The State of Global Child Trafficking for Sexual Purposes'.

Hundreds of children were 'trafficked and forced to work as bricklayers, domestic servants', says the global study that was made available to the media here Wednesday.

Disasters lead to a breakdown of social institutions, making food securing and humanitarian supplies 'difficult'.