11 of the dead identified in Andhra train collision, human error likely
50 injured in the collision between two passenger trains in Vizianagaram district of Andhra Pradesh
Updated: Oct 30th, 2023
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| Andhra Pradesh train accident | Image: IANS |
Death toll in the collision between two passenger trains in Vizianagaram district of Andhra Pradesh mounted to 14 while over 50 passengers were injured, officials said today.
The deceased include SMS Rao, loco pilot of the Visakhapatnam-Rayagada passenger train, Gangman Chinatala Krishnam Naidu of Vizianagaram and M. Srinivas, who was a passenger guard on the Visakhapatnam Palasa train.
The other victims were identified as Kanchubaraki Ravi, Karanam Appalanaidu, Challa Sathish, Pilla Nagaraju, Reddi Seetham Naidu, Majji Ramu, all from Vizianagaram district and Gidijala Lakshmi and Tenkala Sugunamma, both from Srikakulam.
According to Vizianagaram district collector Nagalakshmi, two bodies are yet to be identified.
Bodies of the deceased will be handed over to their families after the autopsy.
Andhra Pradesh chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has announced ₹10 lakh ex-gratia for next of kin of the passengers from the state killed in the accident. He also announced ₹2 lakh each to the injured from the state.
For the families of the deceased from other states, he announced a compensation of ₹2 lakh each while the injured will be provided an assistance of ₹50,000 each.
The incident on the night of Oct 29
Four coaches of the Visakhapatnam-Palasa passenger train derailed on Oct 29 after it was rammed into by the Visakhapatnam-Rayagada passenger train near Kantakapalli junction in Kothavalasa ‘mandal’ (block).
According to railway officials, the accident occurred at about 7 p.m. between Alamanda and Kantakapalli in Vizianagaram-Kothavalasa Railway Section of Waltair Division of East Coast Railway Zone.
The accident occurred when the Visakhapatnam-Rayagada passenger train overshot the signal to hit Visakhapatnam-Palasa passenger train from rear while it was waiting for the signal.
Two derailed coaches fell on a goods train on an adjacent track. The affected coaches were badly mangled in the collision.
The injured were shifted to hospitals in Vizianagaram and Visakhapatnam. Rescue operations were still on at the accident site. The death toll might further go up.
According to officials, overshooting of Signal by Visakhapatnam-Rayagada passenger train led to the collision.
Human error is the likely reason for the accident, officials said.
Rescue and relief
Local police and other officials of the district administration launched a rescue and relief operation. There was darkness at the accident site, which made the rescue operation difficult.
As ambulances could not reach the accident site, the rescue workers were carrying them to the ambulances.
Vizianagaram district Collector Nagalakshmi said 32 injured were admitted to the Government General Hospital at Vizianagaram.
State minister Botsa Satyanarayana, collector Nagalakshmi and SP Deepika Patil were monitoring rescue operations.
Waltair divisional railway manager Saurabh Prasad and other officials of East Coast Railway rushed to the accident site. Accident Relief Trains and other rescue equipment were rushed.
Barring the derailed coaches, other coaches of both the trains were removed to nearby stations. Eleven coaches were shifted to Alamandala Station while nine coaches were taken to Kantakapalli Station.
Huge cranes were being brought from Visakhapatnam to remove the derailed coaches.
(Source: IANS)
- Edited for style
