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| India train crash: multiple deaths as two express services derail at bridge | India train crash: multiple deaths as two express services derail at bridge |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| At least 21 people were killed and dozens injured when two express trains in central India derailed within minutes of each other while crossing a river bridge in a crash blamed on flash floods. | At least 21 people were killed and dozens injured when two express trains in central India derailed within minutes of each other while crossing a river bridge in a crash blamed on flash floods. |
| Divers using gas cutters pulled out trapped passengers and 300 had been rescued by early morning, officials said. Dozens were rushed to hospital. | Divers using gas cutters pulled out trapped passengers and 300 had been rescued by early morning, officials said. Dozens were rushed to hospital. |
| Television images showed train coaches smashed into each other and tilted into the river. Some police and villagers had clambered on top of the coaches lying on their side. | Television images showed train coaches smashed into each other and tilted into the river. Some police and villagers had clambered on top of the coaches lying on their side. |
| One of the trains was on its way to Mumbai when the accident happened in Madhya Pradesh state, while the other was travelling in the opposite direction. | One of the trains was on its way to Mumbai when the accident happened in Madhya Pradesh state, while the other was travelling in the opposite direction. |
| The railway minister, Suresh Prabhu, said that floodwaters had weakened the rails. “The prima facie cause of the incident is stated to be flash floods due to heavy rains,” he told parliament. | The railway minister, Suresh Prabhu, said that floodwaters had weakened the rails. “The prima facie cause of the incident is stated to be flash floods due to heavy rains,” he told parliament. |
| The head of the railway board, AK Mittal, told reporters a flash flood struck the area just minutes before the trains came through, disturbing the tracks. “Ten minutes back at this spot, train movement was normal. There was no problem.” | The head of the railway board, AK Mittal, told reporters a flash flood struck the area just minutes before the trains came through, disturbing the tracks. “Ten minutes back at this spot, train movement was normal. There was no problem.” |
| Heavy monsoon rains and the tail-end of a cyclone have killed more than 100 people across India in flooding, landslides and building collapses in recent days. | Heavy monsoon rains and the tail-end of a cyclone have killed more than 100 people across India in flooding, landslides and building collapses in recent days. |
| The crash has reignited criticism about lack of safety on the world’s fourth-largest rail network. A former railway minister said that if the tracks had been maintained, it could have been avoided. | |
| “It’s totally unacceptable. It’s a symptom of a deep-rooted cancer in the railway system,” Dinesh Trivedi told reporters. Train wrecks killed more than 25,000 people on India’s overloaded railway network last year alone. | “It’s totally unacceptable. It’s a symptom of a deep-rooted cancer in the railway system,” Dinesh Trivedi told reporters. Train wrecks killed more than 25,000 people on India’s overloaded railway network last year alone. |
| The two train accidents in Madhya Pradesh are deeply distressing. Deeply pained over the loss of lives. Condolences to families of deceased. | The two train accidents in Madhya Pradesh are deeply distressing. Deeply pained over the loss of lives. Condolences to families of deceased. |
| The Indian prime minister, Narendra Modi, said the situation was “deeply distressing”. | |
| Related: Dozens die in Indian train crash | Related: Dozens die in Indian train crash |
| India’s railway network, one of the world’s largest, is still the main form of long-distance travel in the vast country but it is poorly funded and deadly accidents are frequent. | India’s railway network, one of the world’s largest, is still the main form of long-distance travel in the vast country but it is poorly funded and deadly accidents are frequent. |
| India’s government has pledged to invest $137bn (£88bn) to modernise its crumbling railways, making them safer, faster and more efficient. Modi has increased spending but improvements will take years. |