At least 294 people died and hundreds more were injured in a catastrophic three-train collision in India's Odisha state, marking one of the deadliest rail disasters in decades. Preliminary investigations point to a signal failure as the cause, with rescue operations continuing through the night as survivors shared chilling accounts of the crash.
Survivors' Harrowing Accounts
Shankar Das, a passenger traveling to Chennai, described the chaos to reporters: \"The train jerked violently, then everything flipped. People were screaming, bleeding… I couldn't move my legs.\" Das suffered multiple fractures and was evacuated on a stretcher as temperatures soared above 35°C (95°F), complicating rescue efforts.
Race Against Time
Over 1,200 emergency personnel, including air force teams using Mi-17 helicopters, worked for over 20 hours to extract survivors from the mangled wreckage. Local hospitals declared emergencies, with volunteers donating blood and supplies. Officials confirmed at least 1,000 injuries, many critical.
Infrastructure Under Scrutiny
As India processes the tragedy, questions arise about the safety of its vast rail network—the world's fourth-largest—which transports over 13 million passengers daily. This crash follows recent government investments in rail modernization, highlighting persistent challenges in aging infrastructure.
Reference(s):
Survivor of Indian train crash tells moments from the accident
cgtn.com
