A survivor from the Odisha train accident.
New Delhi:
Limbs were scattered everywhere, said a man who survived the big Odisha train accident in which 38 people were killed and more than 400 injured.
“I was woken up when the train derailed. Some 10-15 people fell over me. I injured my hand and neck,” said the survivor.
A passenger train hit the derailed coaches of another train in Odisha’s Balasore this evening. A third freight train was also involved in the accident, Odisha Chief Secretary Pradeep Jena told NDTV. The death count is likely to rise further with many still trapped.
“When I got out of the train, I saw limbs scattered all around; a leg here, a hand there. Someone’s face was disfigured,” said the survivor.
Coromandel Express, which was going from Kolkata to Chennai, rammed the derailed coaches of the other train, which was going from Bengaluru to Kolkata, Railway Ministry spokesperson Amitabh Sharma told NDTV.
The accident happened around 7.20 pm near Bahanaga Bazar station when the train was on the way to Chennai Central station from the Shalimar station near Kolkata.
May the injured recover soon, tweeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi, adding he spoke to the Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, who is on his way to the accident spot.
PM Modi announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh to the families who have lost a member in the accident and Rs 50,000 to those injured.
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said he will fly out early tomorrow morning to the accident site.
Over a hundred personnel of the National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF) and its state counterpart are looking for trapped passengers and cutting through the debris to reach them.
President Droupadi Murmu tweeted saying she prays for the success of rescue operations.
“Deeply anguished to know about the loss of lives in an unfortunate rail accident in Balasore, Odisha. My heart goes out to the bereaved families. I pray for the success of rescue operations and quick recovery of the injured,” tweeted the President, whose home state is Odisha.
The Odisha government has issued helpline number 06782-262286. The railway helplines are 033-26382217 (Howrah), 8972073925 (Kharagpur), 8249591559 (Balasore) and 044- 25330952 (Chennai).
