A deafening sound and screams before it turned dark: Survivors recall dreadful train collision
Bilaspur (PTI): Moments before the collision, Sanjeev Vishwakarma (35), a passenger of Gevra Road-Bilaspur train, was scrolling through his phone, while some passengers were busy chatting, and some were dozing off, unaware that within seconds, their journey would turn into a nightmare.
Around 4 pm, the MEMU (mainline electric multiple unit) passenger train rammed into a goods train from behind near Bilaspur station, leaving its first coach (engine assembled coach) climbing onto the cargo wagon with a thunderous jolt.
Metal screeched, windows shattered and panic swept through the compartments.
At least eight persons, including the loco pilot, were killed and 14 others, including the female assistant loco pilot, injured in the accident between Gatora and Bilaspur railway stations on Howrah-Mumbai rail route section.
For Vishwakarma, a resident of Bilha (Bilaspur), what began as a routine return trip from his in-laws' house in Akaltara ended in chaos and screams.
He is a vehicle driver.
"I was sitting in the first coach. There were about 16-17 of passengers, including men, women, and children. Suddenly, around 500 metres after leaving Gatora, the train shook violently and crashed into something. There was a thunderous sound followed by people's screams...Then everything went dark," he recalled.
"When I opened my eyes, I was pinned under the seat. People were crying for help. My coach had climbed onto the goods train. I saw bodies right in front of me. Three people, including a woman, died. Their faces still haunt me," he said, lying on his hospital bed.
Mohan Sharma, a marketing professional from Raipur, had boarded the train from Champa (in neighbouring Janjgir-Champa district).
"I had planned to go to Raipur by Link Express train, but the train was late so I thought I would save time by taking this (MEMU) train. Although I de-boarded this train, thinking of once again taking the Link Express but again boarded the same," he said.
"I was using my mobile phone when there was a violent jerk, the next thing I knew, I was thrown to the floor. My phone flew away," he said.
"When I looked out, I saw the first coach resting on the goods train's wagon. My right leg was trapped, I couldn't move it. Railway staff pulled me out and rushed me for treatment. It all happened in seconds," he said.
Had the train slowed down even a little, those people would have been alive, he added.
Mehbish Parveen (19), a second-year BSc Mathematics student at D P Vipra College Bilaspur, was returning to Bilaspur from her home Naila in neighbouring Janjgir-Champa district after attending a family wedding.
"I was travelling in the first coach. It was supposed to be a happy journey back. Then came the crash. My leg broke. I can't forget the screams as everyone was shouting for help," she said.
Geeta Dev Nath (30), an advocate from Bilaspur, said she was in the first coach.
"The impact was so strong that my leg got trapped. I couldn't move. Rescuers pulled me out after several minutes. I had gone to Akaltara for court work. I never imagined I would return like this," she said.
All four of them are currently admitted at Chhattisgarh Institute of Medical Sciences (CIMS) Bilaspur.
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Indian mobile hospital treats over 2,200 cyclone-hit people as New Delhi ramps up relief efforts in
Colombo (PTI): A mobile hospital set up by India in Sri Lanka has provided medical care to over 2,200 people affected by Cyclone Ditwah, as New Delhi ramped up its assistance to the flood-ravaged island nation with engineering support and delivery of fresh relief consignments, the Indian mission here said on Sunday.
Sri Lanka has been grappling with widespread flooding, landslides and severe infrastructure collapse triggered by the cyclone, leaving several districts isolated and severely straining the country's disaster-response capacity.
At least 627 people have been killed and 190 remain missing as of Sunday noon due to catastrophic floods and landslides caused by extreme weather conditions since November 16.
Sharing a social media post by the Ministry of External Affairs on its X handle, the Indian High Commission said a field hospital set up by India in Mahiyanganaya near Kandy has provided medical care to more than 2,200 people affected by the cyclone since December 5.
The hospital has also performed 67 minor procedures and three surgeries, it said. The field hospital was airlifted to Sri Lanka by an IAF C-17 aircraft along with a 78-member Indian medical team on Tuesday.
In another post, the mission said Indian Army engineers, working with Sri Lanka Army Engineers and the Road Development Authority, in Kilinochchi have begun removing a damaged bridge on the Paranthan–Karachchi–Mullaitivu (A35) road, a key route disrupted by the cyclone.
"This joint effort marks another step toward restoring vital connectivity for affected communities," it said.
India has additionally sent nearly 1,000 tonnes of food items and clothing contributed by the people of Tamil Nadu. Of these, about 300 tonnes reached Colombo on Sunday morning aboard three Indian Naval ships.
High Commissioner Santosh Jha handed over the supplies to Sri Lankan Minister for Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development Wasantha Samarasinghe.
India, on November 28, launched 'Operation Sagar Bandhu', a Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) initiative, to aid Sri Lanka in its recovery from the devastation caused by Cyclone Ditwah.
Since the launch of the operation, India has provided about 58 tonnes of relief material, including dry rations, tents, tarpaulins, hygiene kits, essential cloths, water purification kits and about 4.5 tonnes of medicines and surgical equipment, the Indian mission said in a press release on Sunday.
Another 60 tonnes of equipment, including generators, inflatable rescue boats, Outboard Motors, and excavators, have also been brought to Sri Lanka, it said, adding that 185 tonnes of Bailey Bridge units were airlifted to restore critical connectivity along with 44 engineers.
Two columns of the National Disaster Response Force, comprising 80 experts and K9 units with specially trained dogs, assisted with immediate rescue and relief efforts in Sri Lanka.
Besides the field hospital in Mahiyanganaya, medical centres have also been set up in the badly hit Ja-Ela region and in Negombo. INS Vikrant, INS Udaygiri, and INS Sukanya provided immediate rescue and relief assistance to Sri Lanka.
Apart from the two Chetak helicopters deployed from INS Vikrant, two heavy-lift, MI-17 helicopters of the Indian Air Force are actively involved in evacuations and airlifting relief material, the release said.
At the request of the Sri Lankan Disaster Management Centre, a virtual meeting was organised between DMC and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)'s National Remote Sensing Centre on Saturday.
Since the onset of the disaster, ISRO has been providing maps to assist DMC in its rescue efforts, the release said.
