At least 30 people have died and another 179 have been rushed to hospital after a passenger train derailed in India.
The crash took place in Odisha’s Balasore district on Friday, media reports and officials said.
Pradeep Jena, the region’s chief secretary, said: ‘Nearly 50 ambulances have reported but the injured appear far too many. Large (number) of buses being mobilised to shift injured to hospital.’
The Coromandel Express, which runs from Kolkata to Chennai, derailed and collided with a goods train.
It then fell on the opposite track, local reports state.
Videos circulating on social media show a large number of people climbing from the wreckage of the train.
India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to Twitter to issue a statement following the tragedy.
He wrote: ‘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 Ashwini Vaishnaw and took stock of the situation.
‘Rescue ops are underway at the site of the mishap and all possible assistance is being given to those affected.’
More to follow.
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First appear at Dozens feared dead after passenger train derails in India
