Ten killed, 40 injured in train crashes in northern India - Summary

Sat, 02 Jan 2010

New Delhi - Five passenger trains collided in three accidents amid dense fog in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh Saturday, killing at least 10 passengers and injuring more than 40. Railway spokesman Rajesh Dutt Bajpai said the Gorakhdham Express rammed into the Prayagraj Express near the Panki railway station in Kanpur, 90 kilometers south of the state capital, Lucknow.

"The Prayagraj Express was standing near the station when the Gorakhdham Express hit it from behind due to reduced visibility owing to the fog," Bajpai said.

Officials at the Railway Ministry headquarters in national capital New Delhi confirmed that seven men and three women were among the victims.

Over 30 injured were moved to three local hospitals and the death toll was likely to rise as nearly a dozen passengers sustained "serious injuries."

Rescue operations continued till late in the afternoon after which the tracks were cleared of the coaches that had derailed after the impact.

In the second accident Saturday, the Lichchavi Express and the Magadh Express passenger trains collided in the eastern district of Etawah.

Thirteen passengers, including the train driver, were injured in the collision, the NDTV network reported.

Railway officials said visibility at both sites was only about 30 meters because of dense fog.

Later on Saturday, a third train accident due to fog involving Sarju Express and a railway maintenance trolley was reported from near the Allahabad city. Four people suffered minor injuries in the incident.

"Although fog appears to be the main reason behind the accidents, the railways has ordered probes into the accidents," Bajpai said.

"The commissioner of railway safety has been tasked with the investigations," he said. Railway authorities announced compensation of 500,000 rupees (10,730 dollars) to the families of those killed.

Scores of passengers were likely to be stranded at railway stations as traffic on the busy train route was suspended after the accidents.

Dense fog created havoc across India's northern regions on Saturday, hitting air and road traffic as well.

Three people died in road accidents in Delhi caused by the blinding fog, the IANS news agency reported.

Railway authorities said 54 trains, most of them connecting Delhi with other key northern cities were delayed.

More than 35 domestic and international flights were also delayed or canceled, as no flight could take off or land for nearly eight hours from the Delhi international airport due to reduced runway visibility.

Several parts of four northern Indian states including Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir faced power cuts early Saturday due to problem with the regional power grid.

Electricity was restored in most regions except the Kashmir valley by early afternoon, officials said.

Source: Earth Times.
Link: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/301805,ten-killed-40-injured-in-train-crashes-in-northern-india.html.