31 dead in two train mishap in Madhya Pradesh

janjivan Bureau
Bhopal:At least 31 persons were killed and 100 others injured after the seven coaches of Mumbai-Varanasi Kamayani Express and five bogies of Jabalpur-Mumbai Janata Express derailed while crossing a swollen Machak river near Harda in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh late Tuesday night. Body of the passangers are found five KM far from the incident place.
The mishap took place around 11.30 pm Tuesday at a bridge near Harda as base material of the tracks got washed away in heavy rains
Twenty-four bodies, including of nine men, 10 women and five children, have been recovered so far from the accident site between Khirkiya and Harda stations , Madhya Pradesh Public Relation Department Commissioner Anupam Rajan said Wednesday.
Hundreds of people were rescued as rescue efforts went full swing under searchlights amid rain.
Six coaches of the Kamayani Express running from Mumbai to Varanasi derailed while crossing a culvert near the Machak river close to Harda, about 160 kilometres from state capital Bhopal.
Minutes later, an engine and four coaches of the Janata Express, going to Mumbai from Jabalpur, derailed. Among those who have died are 10 women and five children, the Madhya Pradesh government said.
Many survivors of the accident were trapped inside coaches submerged in water for three to four hours while some died waiting for help to arrive, a passenger told reporters.
Railway Chairman AK Mittal said a flash flood caved the tracks as the soil shifted. The surge of water had weakened the culvert which was safe even 10 minutes before the accident, he said.
Local residents played a big role in rescue efforts in the middle of the night, as rescue teams were delayed because of heavy rain and damaged roads due to flooding.
At least 25 trains from Mumbai have being diverted as a result of the accident. Trains from Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh have also been stopped. Sources say some trains may be diverted to Rajasthan.