142 dead! This accident shocked the world; what do the authorities have to say?

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On November 20th, local time, a high-speed train derailed in northern India, resulting in at least 142 deaths so far; local officials said that this figure could still rise. A spokesperson for the regional railway network said it was difficult to determine exactly how many people were on board at the time of the accident, but it was certainly over 2,000. This is the worst disaster to hit India’s old railway system in recent years. The accident was caused by a broken rail; it occurred in a remote area of Uttar Pradesh, India, and 14 carriages of the train derailed. The workers worked all night to remove the bodies of the victims from the carriages, but there may be more bodies still trapped inside. Reports say the chances of finding more survivors are slim. At present, the workers have cleared the carriages that were most severely damaged. It is reported that this train travels between the central city of Indore and the northeastern city of Patna, covering a distance of 1,360 kilometers, with a travel time of 27 hours. The authorities have launched a formal investigation into this tragedy, and Manoj Sinha, the deputy minister of railways, said that the cause might be damaged tracks. Hundreds of injured people are being treated at nearby hospitals, including many young children who have been separated from their relatives. Regional Police Chief Zak Ahmed said that rescue efforts are still underway, and there is no exact figure on the number of injured people at present. It is understood that India has the largest railway network in the world, and trains remain the main mode of long-distance transportation in this vast country. However, due to insufficient funding, accidents that result in casualties occur frequently. Indian Railways Minister Suresh Prabhu posted on social media earlier on the 20th, pledging to take \"the strictest possible measures\" to assume responsibility. Indian Prime Minister Modi also expressed his condolences following the accident, saying, “The train derailment has resulted in numerous casualties; my pain is beyond words. I am with the families of those who lost their lives.” ” Survivor recounts: It felt like a nightmare. “There were intense crashes, sporadic sparks, and eventually the train came to a stop, swaying in the darkness of the night.” Immediately, cries for help were heard, and that’s when I realized something serious had happened. ”Recalling the train derailment that occurred in the early hours, the survivor Sunil Rai is still shaken. The accident scene was in a complete mess: 14 derailed carriages stretched for hundreds of meters; they were crushed and deformed, with some completely on their sides. One of the sleeper carriages was almost completely ruined ； Luggage and other items were scattered everywhere; the window glass was almost completely broken, with shards of glass, rebar, and fragments of train car parts lying on the ground ； The shaken survivors took a brief rest on the slopes surrounding the train; some sorted through their luggage, some bandaged their wounds, and some made calls to let others know they were safe. Cries and moans were heard non-stop... A surviving male passenger said, “The train jolted violently a few times; everyone was terrified.” After escaping, I saw several corpses and injured people; it felt like I had experienced a nightmare, having come close to death itself. I’m glad I survived; I want to get back to my family as soon as possible. ” Another woman holding a child, Bimala, cried and said, “I was trying to put the child to sleep when suddenly there was a loud noise, along with the sound of things falling.” I quickly protected the child, afraid that something might hit him. ” Many anxious relatives also drove to the scene of the incident and the nearby Kanpur railway station, holding photos of their loved ones in an attempt to find out as soon as possible whether they were safe. According to the British newspaper The Daily Telegraph, trains are an important mode of transportation in India; its railway network is the fourth largest in the world, with around 23 million passengers using it each day. However, due to its outdated infrastructure and lack of maintenance, its safety record is poor, with thousands of people dying in train accidents each year. In March 2015, a train derailed near Barelī in Uttar Pradesh, India, killing at least 39 people and injuring 150. Major train derailment accidents have occurred in various countries around the world in recent years. On September 9, 2016, a train derailment occurred in Spain, resulting in 4 deaths and 50 injuries. The accident occurred in Galicia, in the north-west of Spain; the train was traveling from Spain to Portugal when it derailed suddenly. ·On June 23, 2016, two trains collided under a bridge while turning near the South African coastal city of Durban; the accident caused one train to derail, resulting in at least 131 injuries. ·On March 7, 2016, a commuter train in California, USA, derailed in the East Bay area of San Francisco. The leading car of the train collided with a tree, derailed, and fell into a river; the accident resulted in 9 injuries, 4 of them severe. ·On February 5, 2016, a passenger train derailed in Tamil Nadu, in southern India, injuring at least 13 people. ·On November 14, 2015, a high-speed train in France derailed during tests in the northeast, resulting in 11 deaths and 42 injuries; accident investigators said the train was traveling too fast. ·On September 12, 2015, two train derailments occurred in India, resulting in at least 4 deaths and over 30 injuries. ·On September 4, 2015, a fast train in India derailed in the Tamil Nadu region of southern India, injuring at least 39 people. ·On July 2, 2015, a train in Gujranwala, Pakistan, derailed and fell into a canal due to the collapse of a bridge, resulting in at least 17 deaths. ·On May 4, 2014, a passenger train in India derailed in the western region, resulting in at least 18 deaths and over 100 injuries. ·On April 22, 2014, a train derailed in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, killing at least 60 people. ·On July 24, 2013, in Spain, a train departing from Madrid derailed near Santiago de Compostela in the northwest, resulting in 80 deaths and 144 injuries. ·On June 30, 2009, in Italy, a train carrying liquefied petroleum gas derailed and exploded as it passed through the Viareggio station, resulting in 29 deaths.