“Everything Was Shaking”: Survivors Recount Odisha Train Crash
New Delhi:
Hours after the Odisha train crash, one of India’s worst, survivors shared horror stories of the moment the trains collided.
More than 230 people have been killed and around 900 injured in the three-train crash that took place last evening.
Sanjay Mukhia, a daily wage worker travelling to Chennai on the Coromandel-Shalimar Express, had gone to the toilet when he felt a huge jolt.
“Everything was shaking and we could feel the coach toppling,” Mukhia, who is from Bihar, told NDTV, showing his injuries.
He was rescued from the wreckage shortly afterwards.
Visuals from the accident site showed coaches on top of each other and twisted steel, with passengers’ belongings strewn all over. Lines of bodies were collected by rescue workers and more were being extricated from the wreckage.
According to one survivor, severed limbs were scattered over the ripped metal wreckage.
“I was sleeping when the train derailed. Some 10-15 people fell over me. When I came out of the coach, I saw limbs scattered all around, a leg here, a hand there…someone’s face was disfigured,” the survivor said.
Mohammad Aqueeb was travelling in a big group of 26 in three coaches. The group mostly included students heading to Kerala.
“We were inside the S-4, S-3, S-2 coaches. Suddenly we heard a loud crash and the coaches flipped over. We were all safe,” Aqueeb said.
The group was brought out through the windows of the smashed coaches. “We are lucky to be alive. We don’t want to go anywhere now but back home to Bihar,” he said.
The Railways Ministry has ordered a probe into how the accident happened. The Coromandel-Shalimar Express reportedly derailed and collided with a stationary goods train, after which some of its coaches flipped on to the next track. The Yesvantpur-Howrah Superfast on the parallel track then smashed into the derailed coaches.
Anubhav Das, a passenger on the Coromandel Express posted a series of tweets describing the accident.
“Three trains were involved in the accident — Coromandel Express 12841, Yesvantpur-Howrah SF and a goods train. Initial impressions are that the Coromandel Express derailed and collided with the goods train (parked on the loop track on the side),” he said.
“Not to exaggerate but I have myself witnessed more than 200-250 deaths. Families crushed away, limbless bodies and a bloodbath on the train tracks. It was a sight that I will never forget. God help the families. My condolences,” wrote Das.
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