India’s worst train crash kills close to 300
At around 7:00 pm on the 2nd, three trains collided one after another near Bahanga Bazaar Station in Balasore District, about 200 km from Bhubaneswar, the eastern capital of Odisha.
The accident occurred when one of the trains derailed and fell onto an adjacent track, colliding with another passenger train coming from the opposite side along the track.
Witnesses said the train hit another freight train stopped on the tracks.
Authorities in Odisha state said at least 288 people were killed in the accident.
However, there are still many passengers trapped inside the carriages, and the death toll continues to rise through the night.
Authorities estimate the number of injured to be as high as 900.
About 200 ambulances and fire trucks and about 1,000 rescue workers have been dispatched to the scene of the accident to carry out rescue and search operations.
Some surviving passengers were also rescuing others trapped in the wreckage, eyewitnesses said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the site of the disaster on the 3rd, inspected the rescue operation, and talked with the officials. He also visited a nearby hospital to comfort the injured.
Prime Minister Modi told reporters that he shared the pain with the victims and that the government would do everything it could to help them.
Prime Minister Modi also warned that those responsible for the incident will be severely punished.
In India, where rail is the main long-distance travel option, 12 million people use 14,000 trains every day.
However, train accidents often occur due to outdated signaling equipment, old vehicles, and poor safety management.
One of the worst disasters occurred in Bihar in 1981 when a train running on a bridge crashed into a river, killing around 800 people.
VOA News
2023-06-03 15:13:38
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