Accident relief trains have been dispatched to the spot, officials said.
New Delhi:
A major accident involving three trains – two passenger and one freight – happened in Odisha today. One train hit the derailed bogies of another causing crash of many coaches, reports said. 30 people are killed and 400 injured in the accident.
Here’s what we know so far
The accident happened around 7.20 pm near Bahanaga Bazar station in Balasore district.
The Yashwantpur-Howrah Superfast hit the derailed bogies of a few coaches of Coromandel Express which had crashed and fell on the opposite track, Railway Ministry spokesperson Amitabh Sharma said.
Several people were trapped under the derailed coaches, and locals were assisting emergency services personnel to rescue them, as per several reports.
Four units of the Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) and 60 ambulances were working to rescue the injured, officials said.
A railway official said that a 22-member NDRF team has reached the accident site from Balasore, while another team consisting of 32 members has started from Cuttack.
At least 13 trains were diverted, cancelled and terminated after the accident.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was distressed by the accident, and spoke with Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw to take stock of the situation.
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik directed Special Relief Secretary Satyabrata Sahoo and Revenue Minister Pramila Malik to rush to the accident site, officials said.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said Bengal is sending a team led by a Minister to the spot to aid victims.
The Odisha government has issued a helpline number – 06782-262286. The railway helplines are 033-26382217 (Howrah), 8972073925 (Kharagpur), 8249591559 (Balasore) and 044- 25330952 (Chennai).
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