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30 dead, 90 wounded in train derailment in Pakistan

Railway officials said 10 cars derailed near the Pakistani town of Nawabshah, which is located in the southern region of the country.
Posted at 4:01 PM, Aug 06, 2023

A train derailment in Pakistan on Sunday left at least 30 people dead and 90 others wounded.

Railway officials said 10 cars derailed near the Pakistani town of Nawabshah, which is located in the southern region of the country. 

Senior railway officer Mahmoodur Rehman Lakho said the Hazara Express was heading to Rawalpindi, on its way from Karachi, when the train derailed near the Sarhari railway station, according to the Associated Press.

Videos of the aftermath on social media show people climbing out of train car windows, while others were extracted from overturned cars by rescue teams. Some led prayers at the scene of the incident, while other locals handed out food and water.

Officials said the rescue operation was complete after the final flipped car was cleared, according to the AP.

The Minister for Railways, Khwaja Saad Rafiq, said the cause of the crash is still under investigation. He said it could be due to a mechanical error or the result of sabotage, the AP said.

Train crashes happen often in Pakistan, where railways haven't been modernized since the Colonial Era.