At least 8 dead in train accident in southern India

By Anadolu staff

ANKARA (AA) – At least eight people were killed and more than 30 others injured in a train accident in southern India late Sunday, said officials.

The incident, involving two trains, occurred in Andhra Pradesh state, according to Indian Railways and government officials.

“The rescue operation is still underway,” K Mayur Ashok, a senior civil official in the state’s Vizianagaram district, told Anadolu by phone.

A Indian railways spokesman said a Visakhapatnam-Palasa passenger train and Visakhapatnam-Rayagada Passenger Special were involved. He said the likely reason is “human error and the overshooting of the signal by the Visakhapatnam-Rayagada passenger train.”

“Two coaches of the Visakhapatnam-Palasa Passenger train from the rear and the loco of the Visakhapatnam-Rayagada passenger train got derailed,” he said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s office said he spoke to Indian Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and "took stock of the situation."

“The authorities are providing all possible assistance to those affected. The Prime Minister extends condolences to the bereaved families and prays that the injured recover soon,” it said, while announcing compensation for families of the deceased and as well as the injured.

The incident is the second one this month. Four people were killed earlier this month after coaches of a passenger train derailed in Bihar state.

In June in eastern Odisha state, an accident involving two passenger trains and a freight train left more than 290 people dead and over 1,000 injured.