Rail track washed away in flash flood, goods train derails in Rayagada

BHUBANESWAR: Three wagons of a goods train derailed after a portion of railway track between Doikalu-Ambadola section of Rayagada-Titilagarh line was washed away due to flash flood in the area after heavy rains.
The goods train, heading Vedanta, derailed while passing the flooded track.
In view of the incident, ECoR has cancelled eight trains, diverted eight trains and short-terminated seven trains.
More than 100 meters of railway track have been affected in the flash flood. "Accident Relief Train is being moved only upto the point where we are sure of track stability. No movement in the section where track stability is not confirmed. Our engineers are at site. Assessment is being done. Restoration will start as soon as the water recedes. As of now, water is still flowing on track," said East Coast Railway (ECoR) chief spokesperson J P Mishra.
He said expected restoration time shall be relayed only after water flow stops and assessment of damage is confirmed. "Priority now is to move men and materials to nearest point of the damaged site, so that we start restoration work at the earliest when water flow recedes," he added.
Track patrolmen S Naidu and M Ramana of Ambodala station alerted train staff in time to avert a major disaster. This was done by them in spite of heavy inclement weather. ECoR will give Rs 5000 cash award to each of the patrolmen, ECoR sources said.