24 people killed in train derailment

By Agencies, Citizen Digital

Published on  5 August 2015

At least 24 people were killed after two passenger trains in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh derailed minutes apart on a partially flooded bridge.

The trains were passing each other near the town of Harda, and some coaches fell into a river.

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A railway spokesman said that heavy rain had caused river levels to rise, submerging the track.Officials say at least 25 people have been injured and another 300 rescued.

The Kamayani Express travelling from Varanasi to Mumbai derailed first, while the Janata Express travelling in the opposite direction derailed shortly after.

One passenger described water pouring through the carriages just after the accident.

“Water filled the coach till here,” the man, pointing to his waist, told a local TV station.

Another passenger said there had been “a sudden jerk” and “the carriage broke apart and people were crushed”.

The Press Trust of India reported that it was not clear how many passengers the trains had been carrying.

Reports say the trains were crossing a bridge over the rain-swollen Machak river, about 950km from India’s capital, Delhi.

“This unfortunate accident took place because of the flash floods on the tracks and the track caved in and resulted in the derailment of the last six coaches of the Kamayani Express,” railways spokesperson Anil Saksena said.

The death toll could rise slightly. It was not clear if any passengers remained unaccounted for.

Source: BBC News

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