Twin derailment minutes apart kills 30, 50 injured and 300 rescued in India
Due to heavy rains near the town of Harda, two passenger trains in the Indian state of Madya Pradesh, have derailed on 4th August 2015, 11:30pm, within minutes on a partially flooded bridge over the Machack river between Khirkiya and Bhirangi stations, as the tracks caved in killing 30 people, 50 injured and over 300 rescued. The last seven coaches of Kamayani Express from Mumbai to Varanasi which derailed first, and the Janata Express going to Mumbai to Jabalpur from Jabalpur going the opposite direction derailed an engine and five coaches, minutes after. Among the dead were 10 women and 5 children. According to an eyewitness, “after a sudden jerk the train carriage broke apart and commuters were crushed”. India’s massive state run Railways operates over 12,000 trains ferrying 23 million passengers daily.
Railway Chairman AK Mittal said a flash flood caved the tracks as the soil shifted and surge of water weakened the culvert and collapsed.
Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu had ordered an inquiry and would make a full statement in the Indian Parliament.