Death toll in India train disaster climbs to nearly 300 as over 1000 injured

BHUBANESWAR – The death toll in the horrific railroad accident in India climbed to at least 300 on Saturday, with nearly 1000 injured as rescuers continued operations.

Several people were trapped in the trains in India's eastern Odisha state as Coromandel Express, which operates between Kolkata and Chennai, collided with the Howrah Superfast Express.

According to South Eastern Railway officials, the Howrah Superfast Express derailed and tangled up with the Coromandel Express.

Pradeep Jena, the chief secretary of Odisha, informed the media that more hundreds of injured passengers had already been admitted to various hospitals.

Shocking graphics from the incident showed rescuers scaling one of the trains' wreck to look for survivors. Naveen Patnaik, the chief minister of Odisha, stated the goal of the government was to "move the living to the hospitals, that's our first concern, to look after the living."

This looks horrible; been ages since a bad train accident in India which makes this feel worse! pic.twitter.com/Qan9VMyUnY

— Kushan Mitra (@kushanmitra) June 3, 2023

Indian prime minister Narendra Modi stated in a tweet that rescue efforts are in progress at the scene and that people in need are receiving "all possible assistance."

''Distressed by the train accident in Odisha. In this hour of grief, my thoughts are with the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon,'' he added.

The recent crash is said to be India's worst train crash this century. In 1981, the South Asian nation witnessed the worst train disaster in which at least 800 people were killed.

India is known for one of the largest train networks in the world and misfortunes are frequent, despite the government’s measures to curb tragedies.