Condolences poured from the world over as at least 238 people were killed and 900 were injured after three trains collided with each other in a horrifying sequence in Balasore district which is about 250 km south of Kolkata and 170 km north of Bhubaneswar. The trains that were involved in the collision were Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express, Shalimar-Chennai Central Coromandel Express, and a goods train. The impact point had just turned into a pile of steel as the rescue effort continue on Saturday morning. Meanwhile, condolence messages and reactions have come from all around the world.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tweeted, "The images and reports of the train crash in Odisha, India break my heart. I’m sending my deepest condolences to those who lost loved ones, and I’m keeping the injured in my thoughts. At this difficult time, Canadians are standing with the people of India."
Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal stated that it was saddening to know about the "loss of dozens of lives in a train accident in Odisha" and extended his condolences.
In a tweet, the President of Taiwan, Tsai Ing-Wen said she is praying for everyone affected by the train accident in India and further said that she hopes the rescue efforts can save all those in need.
US Ambassador in India, Eric Garcetti who recently took a trip around several parts of the country in a tweet extended his deepest condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in the tragic train accident.
Russian Ambassador to India, Denis Alipov expressed his deepest condolences to the families of the victims of the Balasore accident.
Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs and a senator from Australia, Penny Wong also expressed the deepest sympathies following the devastating train crash in India's eastern Odisha state.
Indian cricketer Virat Kohli was also saddened by this tragic incident. In his tweet, he wished a speedy recovery to the injured.
Locals said they heard consecutive loud sounds, following which they rushed to the spot and found the derailed coaches, which were nothing but "a mangled heap of steel".
"The local people really went out on a limb to help us... They not only helped in pulling out people but retrieved our luggage and got us water," Rupam Banerjee, one of the passengers, PTI reported.
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik declared one-day state mourning on Saturday in the wake of the deadly triple train crash.