Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh) : Track restoration works are taken up on war footing at the the Vizianagaram train accident spot today. AP Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy is going to visit the site, sources said. Death toll in the Vizianagaram train accident rose to 14 while over 100 others were injured, sources said. Some of them sustained critical injuries with the death toll expected to increase. The accident took place between Kantakapalle and Alamanda in Kothavalasa mandal in Vizianagaram district of Andhra Pradesh at 7 pm on Sunday night.
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on X that 11 coaches from front of Visakhapatnam - Palasa train reached the nearby Alamanda station. Visakhapatnam - Rayagada train rear 9 coaches were pulled back to the previous station, Kantakapalle. Other than the derailed and affected coaches, all cleared from the site, he said.
Congress president Mallikharjun Kharge said that he was extremely saddened to learn about the train derailment tragedy in Vizianagaram district of Andhra Pradesh, where precious lives have been lost and several people have suffered injuries. "Our deepest condolences to the families of the bereaved. It seems that all the claims of safety by the Union Govt, post Balasore train tragedy have evaporated in thin air," Kharge said in a post on X.
The overshooting of the signal by Rayagada train, which did not at the red signal, could have resulted in the accident and further enquiry was going on, said East Coast Railway (ECoR). It opened helplines to assist in the rescue operations.
The Visakhapatnam-Palasa (08532) train which started from Visakhapatnam towards Vizianagaram was hit by the Visakhapatnam-Rayagada (08504) train which started a few minutes from behind. Due to this accident, the bogies of the Rayagada train were crushed and some others derailed.
The derailed bogies hit the wagons of a goods train on another track. It has caused greater damage. The rescue operations were severely hampered due to darkness. Between Kantakapalli and Alamanda, the Palasa passenger train slowed to a signal and stopped on the track at 848 km. At that time, the passengers said that they were hit by a Rayagada train coming from behind. It is noteworthy that this passenger train accident took place similar to the Balasore train accident in Odisha in June this year.
The Palasa guard bogie collided with the Rayagada engine and both were crushed. At this speed, the Rayagada bogies rammed into the engine of the same train. At the same time, a goods train is passing by. Seven bogies of two passenger and goods trains were crushed. As two bogies of the Palasa train ran into the tanker goods, the tracks rose up and the train ran upside down under it, reflecting the severity of the accident. The three bogies of the Rayagada train hit the engine from behind and collided with the nearby coal freight train. The disabled carriage of the Visakha-Rayagada train derailed and fell into the fields. The D-1 bogie behind it broke some speed and lifted off. Providing relief at the scene has become a challenge.