Pandemonium as dozens of people were feared dead, 132 were injured after an express passenger train derailed in India’s eastern Odisha state on Friday.
Pradeep Kumar Jena, Odisha’s top official, confirmed that 132 injured people had been taken to three local healthcare centres, called CHCs.
The train had left from eastern West Bengal state at 3.30pm and was scheduled to reach southern Chennai in Tamil Nadu city on Saturday.
“Preliminary reports have revealed that several compartments went off the rails. Medical teams rushed to the spot,” said Aditya Kumar Chowdhury, chief public relations officer of Southeastern Railway.
Balasore’s top officer Dattatraya Shinde said that about 100 people had been rescued but nearly 200 were still trapped.
“The rescue operation is going on. We will know the exact figures tomorrow after the rescue operation is over,” Mr Shinde told Republic TV, a news channel.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi while reacting to the incident said he was distressed by his thoughts are with the bereaved families.
January last year, nine people were killed and dozens injured after a dozen coaches of a train derailed in West Bengal state.
In 2016, at least 150 people died and more than 150 were injured in one of the deadliest train accidents in the country after a train derailed in northern Kanpur city.
