A tragic train collision in the Indian states Odisha’s Balasore has claimed the lives of at least 238 people, making it the deadliest rail accident in India in over 20 years. The collision involved three trains: the Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express, the Shalimar-Chennai Central Coromandel Express, and a goods train.
The Railway Minister, Ashwini Vaishnaw, has announced the formation of a high-level committee to investigate the crash.
Rescue operations are ongoing, with multiple agencies and resources deployed to the site, including NDRF units, Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force units, fire rescue teams, doctors, police personnel, and ambulances.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has declared a one-day state mourning as a mark of respect for the victims.
The Railway Minister visited the accident site to assess the situation and prioritize rescue and medical aid.
Restoration work will commence after the completion of the rescue operations, and an independent inquiry will be conducted to determine the causes of the collision.
How Odisha train accident happened?
Multiple trains were involved in a tragic accident in Odisha, as confirmed by Amitabh Sharma, executive director of Indian Railways.
The incident, occurred around 7 pm on 2nd June 2023. The Coromandel Shalimar Express, enroute to Chennai, derailed and collided with a parked goods train, causing several coaches to overturn.
Subsequently, the Yesvantpur-Howrah Superfast train collided with the derailed coaches. Both trains were reportedly traveling at high speeds during the collisions. Witnesses and officials describe the devastating sequence of events, which occurred within a few minutes between 6:50 pm and 7:10 pm.