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| Photo: Reuters |
Odisha, India - A catastrophic train accident in the state of Odisha has claimed the lives of at least 261 individuals, making it the country's most severe rail disaster in more than two decades. The incident occurred on Friday when a passenger train derailed and collided with another train in the Balasore district of Odisha.
Adding to the horror, one of the trains involved in the collision struck a stationary freight train nearby, resulting in a chaotic scene of mangled rail cars and causing injuries to approximately 650 people. The death toll was confirmed by K. S. Anand, the chief public relations officer of South Eastern Railway, who provided the distressing update. Earlier reports from the AFP news agency had cited an official figure of 288 fatalities.
Survivors of the calamity, such as Anubha Das, were left traumatized by the nightmarish sight. Das recounted the ghastly scene, describing it as a heart-wrenching bloodbath, with families crushed, limbless bodies, and a trail of devastation strewn across the tracks. Harrowing video footage displayed the wreckage of the derailed train coaches and damaged tracks. Rescue teams valiantly searched through the twisted wreckage, extracting survivors and promptly transporting them to nearby hospitals.
The disaster site became a frantic hub of worried individuals desperately seeking news of their loved ones. As the gravity of the situation became apparent, Prime Minister Narendra Modi made arrangements to visit the scene, intending to assess the situation firsthand. Witnesses expressed their sorrow and shock at the significant loss of life, further underscoring the magnitude of the tragedy.
Eyewitnesses involved in the rescue operations described the distressing sounds of anguish emanating from the injured and grieving relatives. The scenes were horrific, leaving an indelible mark on those who witnessed the aftermath of the accident. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced that families of the deceased would receive compensation of 1 million rupees ($12,000), while those seriously injured would be granted 200,000 rupees. Additionally, individuals with minor injuries would receive 50,000 rupees. Several state governments also pledged additional compensation.
Railway Minister Vaishnaw emphasized the gravity of the situation and the focus on rescue and relief efforts. The primary goal is to provide the best possible medical treatment to the injured victims. Pradeep Jena, the Chief Secretary of Odisha state, took to Twitter to announce the mobilization of more than 200 ambulances and the deployment of 100 doctors, in addition to the 80 already present at the scene.
Heart-wrenching accounts of survivors shed light on the terrifying moments of the accident. One unidentified male survivor, awakened by the deafening sound of the derailing train, recounted the sight of numerous casualties, dismembered bodies, and the chaos that ensued. Chilling video footage from the day of the incident showed rescuers scaling the wreckage in search of survivors, while distraught passengers pleaded for help and mourned next to the demolished train cars.
The collision transpired around 7 p.m. (1330 GMT) on Friday when the Howrah Superfast Express traveling from Bengaluru to Howrah in West Bengal collided with the Coromandel Express, en route from Kolkata to Chennai.
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