2nd LD: 22 killed, over 50 injured in Pakistan's train accident-Xinhua

2nd LD: 22 killed, over 50 injured in Pakistan's train accident

Source: Xinhua

Editor: huaxia

2023-08-06 19:22:00

This photo taken with mobile phone on Aug. 6, 2023 shows people carrying out rescue work at the train accident site near the Sarhari Railway Station in Pakistan's southern Sindh province. At least 22 people were killed and over 50 others injured on Sunday after a passenger train derailed in the Sanghar district of Pakistan's southern Sindh province, local police said. (Str/Xinhua)

ISLAMABAD, Aug. 6 (Xinhua) -- At least 22 people were killed and over 50 others injured on Sunday after a passenger train derailed in the Sanghar district of Pakistan's southern Sindh province, local police said.

The accident took place when 10 coaches of the Hazara Express train derailed when it was crossing a canal bridge near Sarhari town in the Shahdadpur area of the district, Muhammad Younis Chandio, deputy inspector general of police of the region, told the media.

Following the accident, police and rescue teams rushed to the site, rescued injured passengers stuck in the derailed coaches and shifted them to nearby hospitals.

The official feared that the death toll might further rise as several bodies and injured are still stuck inside the coaches. Some of the coaches have already been cleared, and the rescue workers are using machines to cut the coaches to pull out the wounded and bodies, the official added.

A state of emergency has been declared in the district and other neighboring districts.

The Hazara Express departed from the southern port city of Karachi on Sunday morning and was heading towards the country's eastern Punjab province to pass through to reach its final destination in the northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

Railway traffic has been suspended on both up and down tracks of the railway network, announced Pakistan Railways.

Army Chief General Asim Munir has ordered troops deployed in the nearby areas to rush to the site for rescue work.

An eyewitness told the media that the coaches derailed after the engine of the train was disconnected from them when they were passing over a canal railway bridge.

However, the reason for the accident is not officially confirmed yet.

Pakistan's Minister for Railway Khawaja Saad Rafique told the media that he has ordered an inquiry into the accident and would share details once received from the site.

This photo taken with a mobile phone shows people carrying out rescue work at the train accident site in the Sanghar district of Pakistan's southern Sindh province on Aug. 6, 2023. At least 22 people were killed and over 50 others injured on Sunday after a passenger train derailed in the Sanghar district of Pakistan's southern Sindh province, local police said. (Str/Xinhua)

This photo taken with a mobile phone shows an injured man receiving medical treatment at a hospital in the Sanghar district of Pakistan's southern Sindh province on Aug. 6, 2023. At least 22 people were killed and over 50 others injured on Sunday after a passenger train derailed in the Sanghar district of Pakistan's southern Sindh province, local police said. (Str/Xinhua)

This photo taken with a mobile phone shows people walking past derailed compartments of a passenger train in the Sanghar district of Pakistan's southern Sindh province on Aug. 6, 2023. At least 22 people were killed and over 50 others injured on Sunday after a passenger train derailed in the Sanghar district of Pakistan's southern Sindh province, local police said. (Str/Xinhua)

This photo taken with a mobile phone shows people carrying out rescue work at the train accident site in the Sanghar district of Pakistan's southern Sindh province on Aug. 6, 2023. At least 22 people were killed and over 50 others injured on Sunday after a passenger train derailed in the Sanghar district of Pakistan's southern Sindh province, local police said. (Str/Xinhua)

This photo taken with a mobile phone shows an ambulance at the train accident site in the Sanghar district of Pakistan's southern Sindh province on Aug. 6, 2023. At least 22 people were killed and over 50 others injured on Sunday after a passenger train derailed in the Sanghar district of Pakistan's southern Sindh province, local police said. (Str/Xinhua)

Derailed coaches of a passenger train are seen in Sanghar district of Pakistan's southern Sindh province on Aug. 6, 2023. At least 22 people were killed and over 50 others injured on Sunday after a passenger train derailed in the Sanghar district of Pakistan's southern Sindh province, local police said. (Str/Xinhua)

Derailed coaches of a passenger train are seen in Sanghar district of Pakistan's southern Sindh province on Aug. 6, 2023. At least 22 people were killed and over 50 others injured on Sunday after a passenger train derailed in the Sanghar district of Pakistan's southern Sindh province, local police said. (Str/Xinhua)

Rescuers search for victims in a derailed coach of a passenger train in Sanghar district of Pakistan's southern Sindh province on Aug. 6, 2023. At least 22 people were killed and over 50 others injured on Sunday after a passenger train derailed in the Sanghar district of Pakistan's southern Sindh province, local police said. (Str/Xinhua)

People gather near derailed coaches of a passenger train in Sanghar district of Pakistan's southern Sindh province, on Aug. 6, 2023. At least 22 people were killed and over 50 others injured on Sunday after a passenger train derailed in the Sanghar district of Pakistan's southern Sindh province, local police said.

The accident took place when 10 coaches of the Hazara Express train derailed when it was crossing a canal bridge near Sarhari town in the Shahdadpur area of the district, Muhammad Younis Chandio, deputy inspector general of police of the region, told the media. (Str/Xinhua)

Ambulances park at the site of a train accident in Sanghar district of Pakistan's southern Sindh province, on Aug. 6, 2023. At least 22 people were killed and over 50 others injured on Sunday after a passenger train derailed in the Sanghar district of Pakistan's southern Sindh province, local police said.

The accident took place when 10 coaches of the Hazara Express train derailed when it was crossing a canal bridge near Sarhari town in the Shahdadpur area of the district, Muhammad Younis Chandio, deputy inspector general of police of the region, told the media. (Str/Xinhua)

People gather near derailed coaches of a passenger train in Sanghar district of Pakistan's southern Sindh province, on Aug. 6, 2023. At least 22 people were killed and over 50 others injured on Sunday after a passenger train derailed in the Sanghar district of Pakistan's southern Sindh province, local police said.

The accident took place when 10 coaches of the Hazara Express train derailed when it was crossing a canal bridge near Sarhari town in the Shahdadpur area of the district, Muhammad Younis Chandio, deputy inspector general of police of the region, told the media. (Str/Xinhua)

Paramilitary personnel search for victims on derailed coaches of a passenger train in Sanghar district of Pakistan's southern Sindh province, on Aug. 6, 2023. At least 22 people were killed and over 50 others injured on Sunday after a passenger train derailed in the Sanghar district of Pakistan's southern Sindh province, local police said.

The accident took place when 10 coaches of the Hazara Express train derailed when it was crossing a canal bridge near Sarhari town in the Shahdadpur area of the district, Muhammad Younis Chandio, deputy inspector general of police of the region, told the media. (Str/Xinhua)

Rescuers search for victims on derailed coaches of a passenger train in Sanghar district of Pakistan's southern Sindh province, on Aug. 6, 2023. At least 22 people were killed and over 50 others injured on Sunday after a passenger train derailed in the Sanghar district of Pakistan's southern Sindh province, local police said.

The accident took place when 10 coaches of the Hazara Express train derailed when it was crossing a canal bridge near Sarhari town in the Shahdadpur area of the district, Muhammad Younis Chandio, deputy inspector general of police of the region, told the media. (Str/Xinhua)

A rescuer searches for victims in a derailed coach of a passenger train in Sanghar district of Pakistan's southern Sindh province, on Aug. 6, 2023. At least 22 people were killed and over 50 others injured on Sunday after a passenger train derailed in the Sanghar district of Pakistan's southern Sindh province, local police said.

The accident took place when 10 coaches of the Hazara Express train derailed when it was crossing a canal bridge near Sarhari town in the Shahdadpur area of the district, Muhammad Younis Chandio, deputy inspector general of police of the region, told the media. (Str/Xinhua)

Derailed coaches of a passenger train are seen in Sanghar district of Pakistan's southern Sindh province, on Aug. 6, 2023. At least 22 people were killed and over 50 others injured on Sunday after a passenger train derailed in the Sanghar district of Pakistan's southern Sindh province, local police said.

The accident took place when 10 coaches of the Hazara Express train derailed when it was crossing a canal bridge near Sarhari town in the Shahdadpur area of the district, Muhammad Younis Chandio, deputy inspector general of police of the region, told the media. (Str/Xinhua)