India's catastrophic railway collision - the death toll surges to 288

India's deadliest rail accident in more than two decades was reported yesterday. The train collision caused a hundred deaths and injuries for the passengers. The death toll has surged to 288 and more than 850 are injured according to estimated recent updates. 

 

The accident occurred on Friday between two passenger trains in Odisha state. 

 

More than 200 ambulances and 100 additional doctors have been called to assist.

 

In local time at about 7 pm (13:30 GMT) the collision occurred on Friday. The Howrah Superfast Express, running from Bengaluru to Howrah, West Bengal has collided with the Coromandel Express, which runs from Kolkata to Chennai and one derailed train has entangled with the other one causing the tragedy. 

 

On Friday, hundreds of young blood donators lined up outside the government hospital in Odisha's Soro to donate blood. 

 

Several railway accidents occur in India every year, with most of them blamed on human error or outdated signaling equipment.

 

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