Divers find bodies after scores die in India train crash

VELUGONDA, India - Air force helicopters and navy divers plucked bodies from the mangled mess of a derailed passenger train in swirling flood waters in a southern Indian state, as officials confirmed 77 deaths.

They feared the death toll could rise to 150.

Seven coaches of a passenger train skidded off the tracks at Velugonda, about 30 km south of Hyderabad, capital of Andhra Pradesh.

The accident occurred after a small bridge collapsed due to the force of water which burst out of a nearby irrigation tank after torrential rains, said P. Krishnaiah, chief public relations officer of southcentral railways.

Many irrigation tanks have burst and low-lying areas have been inundated in Andhra Pradesh after a storm hit the coastal state on Friday afternoon.

"Seventy-seven bodies have been recovered and some more are expected to be retrieved," said Brigadier Jyoti Prasad, an army officer at the accident site.

Krishnaiah had earlier told Reuters he feared up to 150 people could have died in the accident.

Indian Air Force helicopters lifted several bodies from the deluge, which completely or partially submerged some of the train's coaches. Navy divers were also hunting for bodies, which when found were dragged out of the water using ropes.

One of the train coaches was completely smashed while at least four were submerged in water. The coaches came up after the tank breach was plugged.

Railway officials were searching for bodies washed away downstream. Naval boats were being used and rescue workers were also searching bushes for entangled bodies.

Elsewhere in the storm-ravaged state, 35 people died in incidents of house collapses, drowning and electrocutions in Nellore, Chittoor and Prakasham districts, the state's disaster management commissioner, D.C. Rosaiah, said.

"Twenty-five of them died in wall collapses and drowning in Nellore district alone," he said.

The official said nearly 150 people, including 55 fishermen, were missing as swollen streams swept away several cars, autorickshaws and a bus in the affected districts.

The storm was triggered by a depression over the Bay of Bengal, according to weather officials.

Power supply in six Andhra districts including Kadapa was also cut.

- REUTERS