President Joe Biden said in a statement that he was saddened.
At least 200 people have been killed and hundreds more injured in a train accident in India, officials said, as the death toll continues to rise.
The accident occurred on Friday night in the eastern Indian state of Odisha, and three trains were involved, according to Chief Secretary of Odisha Pradeep Jena. He said several cars of a commuter train derailed in the accident.
“The death toll from the train accident is increasing,” Gina said. Social mediaNoting that 207 people were killed and about 900 injured in the accident, according to a report by the Special Relief Authority, which deals with disaster management in the state.
More than 200 ambulances responded to the scene of the “violent train accident,” Gina tweeted.
Rescue teams have been mobilized from different parts of the country, according to Ashwini Vaishnau, India’s Minister of Railways, Communications, Electronics and Information Technology.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was “saddened” by the incident.
“At this sad hour, my thoughts are with the bereaved families,” Modi wrote on Twitter. “I hope the injured recover soon.”
President Joe Biden said in a statement Saturday that he and First Lady Jill Biden grieve and may God bless those who lost loved ones or were injured in the train accident.
“The United States and India share a deep bond rooted in the family ties and culture that unite our two countries — and people across America mourn alongside the people of India. As recovery efforts continue, we will keep the people of India in our thoughts,” the statement read.
Saturday has been declared a day of mourning in Odisha due to the train accident that occurred near Pahanaga.
Gratuitous payments will be made to Vaishnau’s “victims of this unfortunate train accident in Odisha,” he said chirp.
Families who suffered death will receive 10 lakhs – equivalent to about US$12,000 – while those who suffered “serious” injuries will receive two lakhs – about US$2,400 – according to Vishnu.
People with minor injuries will get 50,000 rupees – about 600 US dollars – Vaishinau said.
ABC News’ Eli Kaufman contributed to this report.
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