At least 290 people were killed and more than 1,000 injured after a collision between two passenger trains and a freight train in Balasore City, Odisha State on the evening of June 2 (local time).
However, rescue workers warned the death toll could continue to rise as many people are believed to be trapped under overturned train carriages.
"We don't have much hope of saving survivors," Sudhanshu Sarangi, director of the Odisha state fire department, told NDTV (India).
Meanwhile, Mr. Narendra Singh Bundela, Inspector General of Operations of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRP), said on June 3 that about 17 carriages were derailed and severely damaged. According to him, this is a serious incident and the government has ordered an investigation.
More than 115 ambulances and several fire brigade units have joined the rescue efforts. Soldiers, members of the National Disaster Response Force and Odisha State Disaster Response Force have also been rushed to the site.
Hundreds of people gathered outside local hospitals to donate blood, showing solidarity and support for the victims of the accident, according to CNN.
The scene of a train accident in Odisha state, India, on June 3. Photo: REUTERS
Photos and video footage from the scene of the crash showed scenes of chaos and despair. Bodies lay next to overturned trains as police and survivors stood nearby.
Passengers’ personal belongings were scattered inside the carriages while windows were shattered. Glass and metal fragments were strewn across the floor while several carriages were badly damaged by the impact.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted his condolences and chaired a meeting on the accident before visiting the scene on June 3. Meanwhile, the Odisha state government has declared a day of mourning for the victims.
In the immediate future, according to Reuters , Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the family of the deceased will receive 1 million rupees (about 285 million VND), while the seriously injured will receive 200,000 rupees and the slightly injured will receive 50,000 rupees.
The train disaster shocked the nation of 1.4 billion people and sparked calls for authorities to improve safety on India’s railways, one of the challenges that has beset the sector for decades.
India’s trains carry around 13 million passengers a day, and the government has recently invested millions of dollars to upgrade the sector. But many tracks remain dilapidated after years of neglect.
According to CNN, aging and poorly maintained railway infrastructure are common factors in train accidents in India. In 2021, more than 16,000 people died in nearly 18,000 train accidents across the country. Statistics show that about 66.7% of train accidents were caused by people falling from trains or collisions between trains and people on the tracks.
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