3rd June 2023 – (Odisha) Survivors of one of India’s deadliest train crashes, which left at least 288 people dead and hundreds more injured, have recounted the harrowing scenes they witnessed after two passenger locomotives collided. The accident occurred at around 7 pm local time today when two passenger trains crashed into each other in India’s eastern state of Odisha. Eyewitnesses reported seeing bodies strewn everywhere, with people “sprawled over one another.”
One survivor described the incident as their worst nightmare, with images that will haunt them for life. Rescuers worked tirelessly through the night to pull out bodies and free people from the wreckage, but the search operation was called off the following morning.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to visit the site of the train accident, as sources from news agency ANI have reported. The tragedy claimed the lives of over 280 people and trapped hundreds more inside more than a dozen damaged rail cars.
Rescue operations at the site have been completed, according to Reuters. The Odisha Chief Minister, Naveen Patnaik, has also reached the site of the accident to assess the situation.
The incident has once again raised questions about the safety of India’s railway system. Despite being the fourth-largest rail network in the world, India’s railways have long been plagued by accidents, with many blaming a lack of investment and outdated infrastructure. This tragedy has sent shockwaves throughout the country, and many are calling for swift action to prevent such incidents from happening again in the future.
The Indian government has already announced compensation for the families of those who lost their lives or were injured in the accident. The families of the deceased will receive INR 2 lakh ($2,700), while those who were seriously injured will receive INR 50,000 ($675). The injured will also receive free medical treatment.