More than 260 people died and some 900 were injured as a result of a train accident this Friday in india.
Two passenger trains and a third freight train were involved in the accident, which occurred in the eastern state of Odisha, according to international media.
The Indian Railways raised the death toll to 261 this Saturday in what is considered the worst rail accident in two decades in the Asian country, in accordance with the agency EFE.
The new balance of victims comes after the Indian authorities concluded the search and rescue efforts. Hundreds of personnel from the disaster management forces took part in the operation that lasted through the night until this morning in Balasore district, the report added.
#World | Tragedy in India: Almost 300 dead and at least 900 injured after train accident, “the worst rail catastrophe in 20 years.” https://t.co/v9KVL2NBGQ
– Week Magazine (@SemanaRevista) June 3, 2023
The accident
The accident occurred when a first passenger train traveling between the cities of Shalimar, in Calcutta, and Chennai, in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, derailed, after which a second train traveling from Yeswanthpur, in Bangalore, to Howrah, in Calcutta, collided with him.
A third freight train was also involved, although the authorities have launched an investigation and have not yet clarified the reason for the event, he said. EFE.
The Indian authorities announced a day of mourning in the state and compensation of more than 12,000 dollars for the deceased, about 2,500 dollars for the seriously injured and 606 dollars for those with minor injuries, reports the Spanish media.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a visit to the crash site on Saturday.
Numerous messages of condolences to the families of the victims and the Indian people have been sent from all over the world.
Friday’s accident is the worst of its kind in India in more than two decades, after the August 1999 crash of two trains in the northeastern state of West Bengal left 288 dead.
Another 800 people were killed in 1981 when a train derailed while crossing a bridge and plunged into a river in the northern state of Bihar, it says. EFE.
The Indian railway network is, with a length of 68,000 kilometers, the fourth in length in the world, behind the United States, Russia and China. It has some 21,650 trains and 7,349 stations throughout the country, and transports some 23 million daily, according to the Spanish agency.
EFE / OnCuba
