Howrah: At least 50 people dead and 350 passengers were injured as train coaches of the Coromandel Express derailed in Odisha’s Balasore district on Friday evening, following which it collided head-on with a goods train coming from the opposite direction on the other line, officials said.
More than 10 coaches of the Coromandal Express derailed in Odisha’s Balasore district after a head-on collision with a goods train, officials said.
Odisha’s Special Relief Commissioner Satyabrata Sahoo said many people have so far been admitted to the Balasore Medical College and Hospital.
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, they said.
Accident relief trains have been dispatched to the spot, a South Eastern Railway official said.
The Odisha government has issued helpline number 06782-262286. The railway helplines are 033-26382217 (Howrah), 8972073925 (Kharagpur), 8249591559 (Balasore) and 044- 25330952 (Chennai).
The state government directed the Odisha Disaster Rapid Action (ODRAF) Force to assist in rescue operations.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik directed Sahoo and Revenue Minister Pramila Malik to rush to the accident site, officials said.
PTI