New Delhi: The death toll in the train accident in Odisha’s Balasore has risen to 261.
“The death toll in the Balasore train accident has risen to 261,” said South East Railway spokesperson Aditya Chowdhury on Saturday, June 3, adding that “rescue of injured passengers has been completed”.
The restoration work has started at the train accident site in Balasore.
Odisha Train Accident: Rescue operation completed at derailment site and restoration work has commenced.
— Ministry of Railways (@RailMinIndia) June 3, 2023
According to the Indian Express, rescue personnel from the National Disaster Response Force and other agencies have so far recovered at least 233 bodies that were buried under the derailed coaches of the Chennai-bound Coromandel Express and Yashwantpur-Howrah Express.
More than 900 injured have been rushed to different hospitals in Balasore and nearby districts, the daily reported.
On June 2, several coaches of three trains – Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express, the Shalimar-Chennai Central Coromandel Express, and a goods train – collided killing at least 261 people and injuring more than 900 people. The incident took place in the Balasore district of Odisha.
The Coromandel Shalimar Express derailed after hitting a parked goods train and another train, the Yesvantpur-Howrah Superfast, crashed into the derailed coaches, NDTV reported.
The collision happened between 6.50 pm and 7.10 pm on Friday, June 2.
Following the incident, several trains have been cancelled while many have been diverted to other routes.
Over 2,000 rescue personnel from the National Disaster Response Force and other agencies carried out the rescue operations, the newspaper reported.
According to The Hindu, 200 ambulances, 50 buses and 45 mobile health units have been working at the accident site, besides 1,200 personnel.
Gas cutters were used being to extricate the bodies from under the derailed coaches.
Disaster management personnel and firemen had been working overnight to remove bodies at Bahanaga Baazar station where the accident took place.
“At around 7 pm, 10-12 coaches of the Shalimar-Chennai Coromandel Express derailed near Baleswar and fell on the opposite track. After some time, another train from Yeswanthpur to Howrah dashed into those derailed coaches resulting in the derailment of its 3-4 coaches,” railway spokesperson Amitabh Sharma said.
Chief minister Naveen Patnaik has declared one-day state mourning in view of the horrific train crash.
Probe ordered
Railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw visited the accident site on Saturday morning to take stock of the situation. “Restoration work will take place immediately. Staff and equipment is ready for restoration work, but our first priority is rescue and medical aid to those injured. We will know details only after a detailed inquiry. An independent inquiry will be done,” he said.
He said a high-level committee has been formed to investigate the Odisha train tragedy.
#WATCH | It’s a big tragic accident. Railway, NDRF, SDRF, and State govt are conducting the rescue operation. Best possible healthcare facilities will be provided. Compensation was announced yesterday. A high-level committee has been formed to inquire about it: Railways Minister… pic.twitter.com/gtSTn4v1nX
— ANI (@ANI) June 3, 2023
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee and her Tamil Nadu counterpart M.K. Stalin have extended their condolences and sent teams to aid in the ongoing rescue efforts. Meanwhile, Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik directed special relief commissioner Satyabrata Sahoo and revenue minister Pramila Malik to rush to the accident site, The Hindu report said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered his condolences to bereaved families and hoped for the speedy recovery of the injured. He instructed railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw to take stock of the situation. The railway ministry announced an ex gratia of Rs 10 lakh to the bereaved families, and Rs 2 lakh to those injured.
Distressed by the train accident in Odisha. In this hour of grief, my thoughts are with the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon. Spoke to Railway Minister @AshwiniVaishnaw and took stock of the situation. Rescue ops are underway at the site of the mishap and all…
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 2, 2023
Prime Minister Modi has also convened a meeting to review the situation in relation to the train accident, government sources told PTI on Saturday.
Note: This is a developing story, and this copy will be updated as soon as new information trickles in. The copy, first published at 11:13 pm on June 2, was republished at 9:48 am on June 3, and was again republished at 11:20 am on the same day. The story was again republished at 2 pm and at 3:18 pm with the updated death toll.