Odisha Train Accident: Pope Francis offers prayers for survivors

The world has come together to express grief and offer its support to India as the country witnessed one of its worst train accidents in Odisha’s Balasore after a Coromandel Express, Bengaluru-Howrah Express and a goods train collided.

Pope Francis has voiced his sadness at the “immense loss of life” that occurred due to the accident.

“Entrusting the souls of the deceased to the loving mercy of the Almighty, (Pope Francis) sends heartfelt condolences to those who mourn their loss,” senior Vatican cardinal Pietro Parolin said in a telegram published by the Holy See.

“His Holiness likewise offers prayers for the many injured and for the efforts of the emergency service personnel,” said the telegram, which was addressed to the apostolic nuncio in India, Leopoldo Girelli.

The death toll stands at 261 people while over 1,000 remain gravely injured. The train crash, one of the deadliest in the country, took place in Balasore district about 250 km south of Kolkata and 170 km north of Bhubaneswar around 7 pm on Friday, prompting the Railway Ministry to order a probe.

PM Narendra Modi had earlier held a meeting to review the situation amid the massive ongoing relief-and-rescue operation.

Officials in Bhubaneswar said 200 ambulances, 50 buses and 45 mobile health units, besides 1,200 personnel, are working at the accident site.

PM Modi expressed distress over the accident and announced an additional ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh for the next of kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured from the PM’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF).

With inputs from agencies

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