Balasore: After the horrific train accident in Balasore that claimed the lives of at least 233, people queued up to donate blood for the injured in Balasore. As per officials, as of now 233 people have died and around 900 are injured. Meanwhile, the Odisha government has declared a day of mourning on Saturday in the wake of the train derailment.
‘I was nearby when this accident happened, we rescued around 200-300 people’, said Ganesh, a local while talking to news agency ANI. Colonel SK Dutta, Indian Army said that a rescue operation is underway since last night and more army personnel will be coming from Kolkata. ‘We are continuously engaged (in rescue operations) since last night. More columns (of army) are coming from Kolkata’, said Colonel SK Dutta while talking to ANI.
A total of around 200 ambulances; including 167 of 108 fleets and over 20 governemnt ambulances have been deployed at the spot, along with 45 Mobile Health Teams, informed officials. In addition to this, 50 additional doctors along with a team of 25 doctors from SCB have also been mobilised. According to officials, forensic medicine specialists (FMT) mobilized from PRM MCH, Baripada and SCB MCH have been deployed for supervising dead body disposal.
The Director of Health Services, along with the Director of Blood Safety, Additional DMET and three other Additional Directors are at Balasore and coordinating with the health teams. Senior Commandant, NDRF, said that six teams have been working since last night. ‘Our 6 teams are working here since last night. Our dog squad, and medical team are also engaged in the rescue operation’, said Jacob Kispotta, Senior Commandant, NDRF.
Odisha Chief Secretary Pradeep Jena said that one bogie that has been severely damaged is left and efforts are underway to cut the bogie. Addressing the press conference, Chief Secretary said, ‘One bogie which is severely damaged is left; NDRF, ODRAF and Fire Service are still working to cut the bogie and try to recover the living or the dead’. The Chief Secretary said that the bodies are being handed over to the families of those who died on producing identity documents. ‘This mission is getting a little more difficult because the train is so badly damaged. The Railway Board Chairman, NDRF chief and DM are there on the site. The injured victims are being treated at both private and government hospitals. Autopsy has also started at some places’, he said.
Pradeep Jena added, ‘The bodies that have been identified are their family are producing the documents are being given the body. If a body does not get identified then the necessary procedure will be followed for autopsy and further action’. Several coaches of the Shalimar-Chennai Coromandel Express derailed near Bahanaga station in Odisha’s Balasore after hitting a goods train. According to Railway spokesperson Amitabh Sharma, the accident took place around 7 pm on Friday.
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