On 4 August 2015, two passenger trains –

Kamayani Express ''Kamayani Express'' (train nos 11071/11072) is a daily Express train run by Indian Railways between Mumbai Lokmanya Tilak Terminus and . It is the only train of Central Railways that runs from Mumbai to Varanasi via Bhopal. Kamayani Express ...

and Janata Express – derailed near Kurawan and Bhringi railway station, southwest of

Harda Harda is a town and a municipality in Harda district in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. Harda is the administrative headquarters of Harda. History Mughal period During the Mughal period, Harda was a mahal in the Handia sarkar. In 1742 ...

Madhya Pradesh Madhya Pradesh (, ; meaning 'central province') is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal, and the largest city is Indore, with Jabalpur, Ujjain, Gwalior, Sagar, and Rewa being the other major cities. Madhya Pradesh is the seco ...

. At least 31 people were killed and 100 people were injured.

Accident

The Kamayani Express, which was headed to

Varanasi Varanasi (; ; also Banaras or Benares (; ), and Kashi.) is a city on the Ganges river in northern India that has a central place in the traditions of pilgrimage, death, and mourning in the Hindu world. * * * * The city has a syncretic t ...

on the down line, derailed as flash floods (caused by Cyclonic Storm Komen) dislodged a culvert near the Machak river, causing track misalignment. The derailment resulted in some coaches becoming submerged in the river and some coaches blocking the up line. The Janata Express derailed near the same spot soon after. At least 31 people died and 100 people were injured. Several people were reported to be washed away by the river. Six coaches of the Kamayani Express and the engine plus the four coaches of the Janata Express derailed. A train safely crossed the bridge ten minutes before the first derailment. The river level was abnormally high, and flash floods gradually washed away the trackbed, resulting in sinking of the track. The driver of the Janata Express applied the brakes but could not stop the train from derailing.

Rescue

Rescuers searched through the night for survivors and bodies. Over 300 people were rescued. The adverse weather conditions delayed the arrival of the rescue teams. Local residents were reported to have helped initially. By the morning of 5 August, the derailed trains had been removed and the bodies of the victims had been recovered. Over 25 trains traveling from

Mumbai Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — List of renamed Indian cities and states#Maharashtra, the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' fin ...

Punjab Punjab (; Punjabi: پنجاب ; ਪੰਜਾਬ ; ; also romanised as ''Panjāb'' or ''Panj-Āb'') is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising a ...

Uttar Pradesh Uttar Pradesh (; , 'Northern Province') is a state in northern India. With over 200 million inhabitants, it is the most populated state in India as well as the most populous country subdivision in the world. It was established in 1950 ...

, and Madhya Pradesh were stopped or diverted, mainly into neighboring

Rajasthan Rajasthan (; lit. 'Land of Kings') is a state in northern India. It covers or 10.4 per cent of India's total geographical area. It is the largest Indian state by area and the seventh largest by population. It is on India's northwestern s ...

Investigation

The Commissioner for Railway Safety in the

Central Railway zone Central Railway (abbreviated CR) is one of the 19 zones of Indian Railways. Its headquarters is in Mumbai at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus. It has the distinction of operating the first passenger railway line in India, which opened from M ...

opened an inquiry into the accident.

References

{{Disasters in India in 2015 2015 disasters in India Derailments in India Harda district Rail transport in Madhya Pradesh Railway accidents in 2015 Railway accidents and incidents in Madhya Pradesh August 2015 events in India Disasters in Madhya Pradesh History of Madhya Pradesh (1947–present)

Accident

Rescue

Investigation

See also

References