3-6-2023 (BHUBANESWAR) India’s Deadliest Train Crash in Over a Decade: 233 Killed and 900 Injured
At least 233 people have lost their lives and 900 have been injured in a train collision in Odisha state, making it the deadliest rail accident in India in over a decade. The death toll is expected to rise, according to state Chief Secretary Pradeep Jena.
The collision took place on Friday evening when the Coromandel Express and the Howrah Superfast Express collided in Balasore district. Conflicting reports have emerged about which train derailed first.
Images and videos from the scene show the mangled and overturned train coaches, with rescuers climbing up to search for survivors. Hundreds of fire department personnel, police officers, and sniffer dogs have been involved in an extensive search-and-rescue operation. National Disaster Response Force teams are also present at the site.
50 people killed: In India, a passenger train collided with a freight train, reported NDTV.#TrainAccident कोरोमंडल एक्सप्रेस Kavach pic.twitter.com/vEgmUI3DsA
— Dr. Khaled Alfaiomi (@Alfaiomi) June 2, 2023
Eyewitnesses have reported seeing broken limbs, blood, and people dying around them. The injured have been taken to various hospitals, and over 200 ambulances have been dispatched to the scene.
Indian Railways, which facilitates the transportation of over 13 million people every day, has had a patchy safety record due to aging infrastructure. The state-run monopoly has been criticized for its lack of safety measures and infrastructure maintenance.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed his condolences and stated that all possible assistance is being given to those affected. National Disaster Response Force teams have been mobilized from Bhubaneswar and Kolkata, and hundreds of young people have lined up outside government hospitals to donate blood.
The collision has prompted Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to declare a day of state mourning on 3 June as a mark of respect to the victims. The cause of the collision is yet to be determined, and authorities have not released any statements about the possible causes.
