Odisha train accident: Heartbreaking moments from one of the deadliest rail disasters in India
Rescuers helped survivors and removed bodies after two passenger trains collided on Friday (2 June) evening near Odisha’s Balasore. The tragedy has raised questions about why such rail accidents are so common in India
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India reported one of the deadliest rail tragedies on Friday (2 June) evening when two passenger trains collided near Odisha’s Balasore, killing more than 280 people and injuring hundreds. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who earlier held a meeting with officials in New Delhi today, has reached the accident site. AP
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The accident took place when 10 to 12 coaches of Chennai-bound Coromandel Express, carrying passengers from West Bengal, derailed and fell on the opposite track around 7 pm in Balasore. The train then collided with a goods train on the loop line and derailed on the main line. AFP
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After a while, Howrah Superfast Express, running from Bangalore’s Yeswanthpur to Howrah in West Bengal, slammed into the derailed cars of Coromandel Express, leading to three to four of its coaches going off tracks, as per Railways spokesperson Amitabh Sharma. Reuters
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As many as 900 people were injured in the collision of the two passenger trains. Survivors recalled harrowing stories of the mishap, with one telling NDTV that he found people who lost limbs and ‘someone’s face was disfigured’ when he came out of the train. Reuters
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Rescuers raced to help survivors and removed hundreds of bodies from the accident site. Littered plastic bottles, mangled train wreckage, cloth pieces and passengers’ belongings surrounded the railway line. Reuters
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Railways minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said a high-level probe has been ordered into the mishap. As per a preliminary investigation by senior railway officials, it seems a “mistaken” signal possibly caused Coromandel Express to enter the line where a freight train was parked, reported Hindustan Times (HT). AFP
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Around 250 survivors of the train mishap are on a special train, with the majority scheduled to disembark in Chennai on Sunday. Railway officials told NDTV that as many as 3,400 passengers were travelling in the two ill-fated passenger trains. AP
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Rescue operations are almost complete and restoration work will begin soon to remove the debris to repair the track and restart rail operations, the Railroad Ministry spokesperson said. AP
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Tragically, train accidents are not uncommon in India, with derailments causing most of these mishaps. As per the latest National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report, more than 16000 casualties were reported in 2021 due to 17,993 railway accidents. AP
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India is mourning one of the country’s biggest rail accidents in decades. Experts say such disasters can be avoided if the government takes appropriate measures, including upgrading infrastructure. AP
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