WATCH: India’s worst train crash of the decade, 288 reported dead

Scores of commuters, both dead and alive, are still trapped under the wreckage of a massive train collision in India’s eastern Odisha state. The train crash happened on Friday.

The death toll is standing at 288, as emergency workers fight against the clock to free those still trapped and injured, and keep that number from growing.

Watch video below:

According to a BBC News report, the tragedy involved three trains. One passenger train derailed, causing its coaches to fall onto the adjacent track. Another train was approaching and collided with the derailed coaches. At the same time, a freight train was stationary nearby and was also crashed into.

Officials said that several carriages from the Shalimar-Chennai Coromandel Express (the passenger train) derailed at about 7pm in the Balasore district and hit the stationary goods train. All of its coaches ended up on the opposite track.

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“The force with which the trains collided has resulted in several coaches being crushed and mangled. We are trying to cut through the wreckage to reach the passengers. We also have to be careful to not hurt those alive,” Atul Karwal, chief of the National Disaster Response Force told news agency Asian News International.

More than 200 ambulances

The death toll is expected to rise, as many are still trapped in the wreckage.

More than 200 ambulances and hundreds of doctors, nurses and rescue personnel were sent to the scene. Sudhanshu Sarangi, director general of Odisha Fire Services, had earlier said 288 had died.

In India, trains are a vital and extensively used mode of transportation. With one of the world’s largest railway networks, the Indian Railways, train travel plays a crucial role in connecting people across vast distances and diverse regions of the country.

Trains are not only popular for long-distance travel but also serve as a reliable means of commuting within cities.

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Millions of passengers rely on trains daily, appreciating their affordability, accessibility, and the ability to accommodate large numbers of travellers.

The extensive railway network in India serves as a lifeline, facilitating the movement of people, goods, and resources, contributing significantly to the country’s transportation infrastructure.