Reuters – At least seven people were killed and several others injured after 11 coaches of a New Delhi-bound train derailed in India’s eastern Bihar state, said officials on Sunday (February 03).

General Manager of East Central Railway (ECR), L.C. Trivedi, said around 10-15 people were injured in the accident and they were immediately provided with first aid. Rescuers were searching for the coaches for people who may be trapped inside, added Trivedi.

The cause of the accident has yet to be identified. Local media reports said that a rail fracture may have led to the derailment of Seemanchal Express that took place about 30 kilometers (20 miles) north of state capital Patna.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the accident. “Deeply anguished by the loss of lives due to the derailment of coaches of the Seemanchal Express. My thoughts are with the bereaved families. May the injured recover quickly. Railways, NDRF, and local authorities are providing all possible assistance in the wake of the accident,” said Modi in a tweet.

Indian Railway Minister Piyush Goyal announced compensation of around $7,000 to the kin of the deceased and nearly $1,500 to the injured. India’s creaking railway system is the world’s fourth largest. It runs 11,000 trains a day, including 7,000 passenger trains carrying more than 20 million people. But it has a poor safety record, with thousands of people dying in accidents every year, including in train derailments and collisions.

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