At least 50 people have been killed and more than 500 injured in a rail disaster involving several trains in eastern India, a senior local official said on Friday.
A passenger train, the Coromandel Express, and a freight convoy collided near Balasore, about 200 kilometers from Bhubaneswar, the state capital of Odisha, witnesses and government spokespersons said regional.
A second passenger train was also involved in the tragedy, according to Pradeep Jena, a senior government official in that state, but the exact circumstances under which it happened are unknown.
"Around 50 people died and more than 500 injured. Our top priority now is to rescue (passengers) and treat the injured," Pradeep Jena told AFP.
A Balasore police official told AFP that many of the injured were in serious condition but he did not know more at this time.
Many passengers could also have been trapped under wagons.
“We expect the rescue operations to continue at least until tomorrow morning. On our side, we have prepared all the major public and private hospitals, from the accident site to the state capital, in order to take care of the injured," said SK Panda, a spokesman for the state authorities.
He added that "75 ambulances" had already been dispatched to the scene and "numerous coaches" had also been sent to transport both injured passengers and survivors.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his part said he was "distressed".
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw meanwhile said he was going to the scene of the disaster, stressing that "the air force" was also "mobilised".
06/02/2023 20:50:07 - New Delhi (AFP) - © 2023 AFP
