At least 50 people have been killed and more than 500 injured in a collision between several trains in the eastern Indian state of Odisha, a senior official told AFP, amid fears that many may be trapped under the carriages.
“About 50 people have been killed and more than 500 injured. The top priority now is to rescue (passengers) and provide health support to the injured,” Odisha official Pradeep Gina told the agency.
Reuters had quoted local media reports as saying that at least 50 people were killed and about 300 injured in India, after a passenger train derailed and collided with a freight train in Balasuri district, in Odisha.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, Tweet Rescue operations are underway at the site and “all possible assistance” is being provided to those affected.
For his part, an official in West Bengal state described to reporters the incident as “serious”.
South Eastern Railway officials, who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity, said they feared very large casualties, without disclosing an exact number.
Reports said the Coromandel Express, which runs from Kolkata to Chennai, derailed and fell onto the opposite track, with many people still trapped.
“I cannot comment on the details at the moment and the casualty figures. I was in Delhi rushing to the accident site,” Archana Joshi, general manager of Southeastern Railways, told Reuters.
A large number of injured people are now being taken to hospitals, Joshi said. “Rail rescue teams from Karajpur and other nearby stations have already reached the site. Relief and rescue operations are underway,” he said.
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2023-06-02 16:59:55
