Death toll rises to 14 in collision between two trains in Andhra

Death toll in collision between two passenger trains in Vizianagaram district of Andhra Pradesh mounted to 14 while over 50 passengers were injured, officials said on Monday.

Four coaches of the Visakhapatnam-Palasa passenger train derailed on Sunday 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.

Overshooting of Signal by Visakhapatnam- Rayagada passenger train led to the collision. Human error is the likely reason for the accident, officials said.

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.