Repalle-Secunderabad Passenger train involved in flash floods, at least 60 people dead, relief operations on
Eight coaches of the Repalle-Secunderabad Passenger train derailed between Ramanapet- Valigonda section of the South Central Railway at around 4.30 a.m. this morning. According to preliminary reports the prima-facie cause of the accident was due to bursting of the Ramasamundrum water tank resulting in breaching of railway tracks. As per reports at 4 p.m. 60 persons have lost their lives and more than 100 injured persons have been shifted to hospitals in Nalgonda and Secunderabad .
The accident resulted in seven coaches of the train derailing and capsizing. One coach of the train also derailed. All the nine unaffected coaches carrying the injured persons have been cleared from the accident site. So far 1100 passengers including those rescued have been cleared and sent to their destinations.
Soon after the accident, senior officials of the South Central Railway along with the 12th battalion of Andhra Pradesh and Railway Protection Force were first to reach the accident site. The Minister of State for Railways, Shri R.Velu from Chennai, the Chairman, Railway Board, Shri J.P.Batra and senior officials from Delhi rushed to the accident site to coordinate rescue efforts.
Defence forces were pressed into service with inflated boats and helicopters to assist in the rescue efforts as some of the coaches were submerged in water. The army contingents with inflated boats helped in rescue efforts. The Air Force also pressed into service two Chetak and one MI-8 helicopter for rescuing the passengers. An AN-32 plane of IAF was pressed into service to carry naval divers from Vishakapatnam. The Railways had requisitioned the help of the navy divers to rescue the passengers trapped under water. The rescue efforts are continuing even now.
The Minister of State for Railways. Shri Velu who visited the accident site with the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Shri Y.Rajashekhara Reddy has announced an ex-gratia of Rs. one lakh for kin of the dead and Rs. 15,000 for the injured.
Trains on the Southern Railways and South Central Railway have been diverted or cancelled. The Commissioner of Railway Safety has arrived at the accident site and will be conducting an enquiry into the accident.
EK/HK/CK
(Release ID :13010)