Train crash in India: Dozens dead after Odisha accident

At least 30 people have been killed and hundreds injured in a collision of multiple trains in the eastern Indian state of Odisha, local officials said.

The state general secretary said, nearly 50 ambulances have been dispatched to the scene of the accident in Balasore district.

Pradeep Jena added that two passenger trains and a goods train were involved.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was saddened by the incident that occurred on Friday night, and his thoughts were with the bereaved families.

“Rescue operations are underway at the accident site and all possible assistance is being provided to those affected,” he wrote on Twitter.

On the other hand, Home Minister Amit Shah called the incident “extremely painful”.

At least 30 people were killed, Sudhanshu Sarangi, a senior official with the fire services, told local broadcaster NDTV. He said about 400 people were injured.

Sarangi said the losses “may rise … at the moment there is no clarity about that.”

The manner in which the crash unfolded remains unclear.

It is believed that several carriages of the Shalimar – Chennai Coromandel Express derailed at around 19:00 local time (13:30 GMT), and several carriages ended up on the opposite track.

Then another train – traveling from Yesvantpur to Howrah – is believed to have hit overturned carriages.

Some of the surviving passengers were seen rushing to help rescue those trapped under the rubble.

The rescue effort was planned to continue into the night.

Rail accidents are relatively common in India — they happen several hundred times a year, according to the Associated Press news agency.

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