At least 96 dead after train derails with many more trapped

At least 96 people have been killed after a passenger train derailed in northern India.
More than 120 others were hurt after 14 of the train’s carriages left the track near Purwa, a village near the industrial city of Kanpur.

Volunteers and railway police have pulled out the bodies from the mangled coaches and were working to rescue passengers who were trapped in other cars that toppled over, said Daljeet Chaudhary, a director general of police.

Some coaches crumpled as they crashed into others, trapping hundreds of people inside.
Medical teams are providing first aid near the site while the more seriously injured have been moved to hospitals in Kanpur.

Rescue works continue at the site of an accident where coaches of an Indore-Patna Express train derailed off the tracks, near Pukhrayan area, in Kanpur, India, 20 November 2016. According to reports, over 60 people were killed and more than 100 were injured after 14 coaches of an Indore-Patna Express train derailed in the early morning hours.

epa05639080 Rescue operations underway at the site of a train accident where several coaches of an Indore-Patna Express train derailed off tracks near Pukhrayan area, in Kanpur, India, 20 November 2016. According to reports, over 40 people were killed and more than 100 were injured after 14 coaches of an Indore-Patna Express train derailed in the early morning hours. 

epa05639139 Rescue works continue at the site of an accident where coaches of an Indore-Patna Express train derailed off the tracks, near Pukhrayan area, in Kanpur, India, 20 November 2016. According to reports, over 60 people were killed and more than 100 were injured after 14 coaches of an Indore-Patna Express train derailed in the early morning hours.

 People gather at the spot as rescue works continue at the site of an accident where coaches of an Indore-Patna Express train derailed off the tracks, near Pukhrayan area, in Kanpur, India, 20 November 2016. According to reports, over 60 people were killed and more than 100 were injured after 14 coaches of an Indore-Patna Express train derailed in the early morning hours. 

It is not immediately clear what caused the coaches to derail.

The death toll is likely to rise as two air-conditioned coaches were severely damaged with some people were still trapped inside, said Rajesh Modak of the Railway Protection Force.

Kanpur is a major railway junction and hundreds of trains pass through it every day. Several trains using the line have been diverted to other routes.

Train accidents are common in India, with most accidents occurring due to human error or ageing equipment.

The vehicles are a popular mode of transport for millions of Indians, with around 23 million passengers using the vast railway network every day.