Odisha train accident highlights: Toll tops 290, nearly 400 still in hospitals

The West Bengal government has opened an emergency control room with numbers 033- 22143526/ 22535185, she said. A railway official said that a 22-member NDRF team has reached the accident site from Balasore, while another team consisting of 32 members has started from Cuttack. The railways have activated several helpline numbers - 033-2638227 (Howrah),8972073925 (Kharagpur), 8249591559 (Balasore).

Nearly 500 police officers and rescue workers with 75 ambulances and buses responded to the accident, news agency AP reported quoting Pradeep Jena, the top bureaucrat of the Odisha state.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Friday spoke to his Odisha counterpart Naveen Patnaik following the accident of the Coromandel Express train, and announced that he was deputing a four-member panel to coordinate the rescue of Tamils on the train.

"Anguished by the tragic news of the accident involving the Coromandel Express, in Balasore, Odisha. My heart goes out to the bereaved families. Wishing for the speedy recovery of those injured. I urge Congress workers & leaders to extend all support needed for rescue efforts," tweeted Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.

Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi on Friday said he was "extremely distressed" over the Coromandel Express accident in Odisha, in which 179 people were injured and 50 feared killed.

"Extremely distressed by the accident of Chennai-bound Coromandel Express in Odisha. My heart goes (out) to the families who lost their dear ones. May the injured recover fast. All out rescue and relief operations are going on," a Raj Bhavan official tweet quoted him as saying.

The ceremony to flag off the inaugural Goa-Mumbai Vande Bharat Express at Madgaon station has been cancelled in the wake of the accident involving three trains in Odisha, Konkan railway officials said on Friday.

 Minister for railways, Ashwini Vaishnaw has announced ex-gratia of ₹10 lakh, ₹2 lakh for those severely injured. “Ex-gratia compensation to the victims of this unfortunate train accident in Odisha; ₹10 Lakh in case of death, ₹2 Lakh towards grievous and ₹50,000 for minor injuries," Vaishnaw tweeted.

“Deeply anguished to know about the loss of lives in an unfortunate rail accident in Balasore, Odisha. My heart goes out to the bereaved families. I pray for the success of rescue operations and quick recovery of the injured,” Draupadi Murmu tweeted.

In view of the derailment of Coromandel Express, Sealdah - Puri Duronto Express scheduled to leave Sealdah at 8 pm on June 2, has been cancelled: Eastern Railway

In a tragic accident, at least 50 people died and several have been injured after Coromandel Express derailed and hit another express train in Odisha's Balasore district on Friday evening. The accident took place around 7.20 pm near Bahanaga Bazar station when the train was on the way to Chennai Central Station from Shalimar Station near Kolkata.

Read full report here

 Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal today expressed anguish at the tragic accident in Odisha, and tweeted: “This painful train accident in Odisha is very unfortunate and distressing. My condolences to all the families who lost their loved ones in this tragic accident. May God give place to the departed souls at his feet and give strength and courage to their families in this difficult time”.

Union home minister Amit Shah on Friday offered condolences to the families of those killed in the Odisha train accident and said: “The train accident at Balasore in Odisha is deeply agonizing. The NDRF team has already reached the accident site, and other teams are also rushing to join the rescue operation. My condolences to the bereaved families and praying for the speedy recovery of those injured”.

50 people died, and and many were injured after express train collided with a freight train in Odisha.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today expressed grief over the loss of lives in the train accident in Odisha. “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 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,” he tweeted.

Derailment of 12841 Shalimar - Chennai Coromandel Express

Howrah Helpline Number: 033-26382217

Kharagpur Helpline Number: 8972073925 & 9332392339

Balasore Helpline Number: 8249591559 & 7978418322

Shalimar Helpline Number: 9903370746

Account of a passenger of the other train.

Talking to a news channel, a passenger of the Humsafar Express, Subhankar Ruidas, said: “We experienced a tremor like feeling when our train hit the wrecked Coromandel Express. My coach has not suffered much damage. We are all sitting inside the train. I saw rescue operators helping the injured passengers of Coromandel Express.”

Nearly 50 ambulances have reported but the injured appear far too many. Large no of buses being mobilised to shift injured to hospital: Odisha Chief Secretary

Gobinda Mondal, one of the passengers who boarded the train in Bengal, got out of a wrecked coach through a broken window.

“I had given up all hopes. I thought we would die. I was among some passengers who managed to leave our coach through a broken window. We were taken to a dispensary for first aid. We are out of danger but I saw some of the injured people. One of them was complaining of pain in the chest,” Mondal told News 18 Bangla news channel over phone.

Several people are trapped under the derailed coaches, and locals assisting emergency services personnel to rescue them.

30 people died as four coaches of the Coromandel Express derailed in Odisha's Balasore district.

 So far 47 injured persons have been received at FM Medical College at Balasore.