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In the early hours of Sunday morning, a passenger train veered off track in northern India, killing at least 133 people, police say. More than 200 additional travelers are injured.


Fourteen coaches of the train, traveling from the northeastern city of Patna to the central city of Indore, derailed in the village of Pukhrayan, near the industrial city of Kanpur, in India's northern state

Several passengers were sleeping at the time of the crash, which occurred around 3:10 a.m.

Railway officials and medical teams are attending to the scene, using gas cutters and cranes to pull out hundreds of trapped survivors after coaches crumpled on impact, reports the Associated Press. National Disaster Response Force workers are also being deployed.


"It is a delicate situation," said Daljeet Chaudhary, a director general of police, reports broadcaster 

Local media are reporting a higher death toll, which has been rising as rescue workers gain more access to the mangled coaches.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to Twitter to express his grief for the victims.

The cause of the derailment remains unknown. As NPR's Julie McCarthy reports from New Dehli, the Transport Ministry has ordered a full investigation into the incident, and has announced compensation for relatives of those who have died.

 "the strictest possible action will be taken against those who could be responsible."


Crashes are relatively common on India's rail network, the world's fourth largest. While its trains shuttle more than 20 million passengers daily, the state-owned Indian Railways is fitted with outdated safety, signaling and communication technology.


An accident involving two trains in Madhya Pradesh 

Disasters

Emma Bowman

Author

Fourteen coaches of a passenger train rolled off track early Sunday, police say. The cause of the crash is still unknown.

Death toll rises after train derailment in northern India

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