Balasore/IBNS: At least 50 people were killed and 300 were injured when a passenger train hit the derailed coaches of another train in Odisha's Balasore on Friday evening. Many are feared trapped and the casualties may rise, officials said.

A third freight train was also involved in the accident.

Some coaches of Coromandel Express, which was en route from Howrah's Shalimar to Chennai, had derailed and fallen onto the adjacent tracks. Yashwantpur-Howrah Superfast train, coming from the other side, rammed the derailed coaches, Railway Ministry spokesperson Amitabh Sharma told NDTV.

The accident took place around 7.20 pm near Bahanaga Bazar station in Odisha's Balasore.

At least 15 coaches of the 12841 Shalimar-Chennai Coromandel Express derailed while two of the 12864 Yashwantpur-Howrah Superfast Express derailed.

Odisha Fire Services chief Sudhanshu Sarangi is supervising rescue operations. Medical colleges and hospitals in and around Balasore have been alerted and 60 ambulances have been mobilised. Locals have also joined the rescue operations.

Visuals showed many coaches of the train got completely dismantled.

Over a hundred personnel of the National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF) and its state counterpart are looking for trapped passengers and cutting through the debris to reach them.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and took stock of the situation.

"Distressed by the train accident in Odisha. In this hour of grief, my thoughts are with the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon. Spoke to Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and took stock of the situation. Rescue ops are underway at the site of the mishap and all possible assistance is being given to those affected," PM Modi said.

Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw has announced ex-gratia of Rs.10 lakhs for the kind of the deceased and Rs. 2 lakhs for those severely injured.

“Ex-gratia compensation to the victims of this unfortunate train accident in Odisha; ₹10 Lakh in case of death, ₹2 Lakh towards grievous and ₹50,000 for minor injuries," Vaishnaw tweeted.

Expressing shock over the accident, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee informed that her government has sent a 5-6 member team to the spot to cooperate with the Odisha government and railway authorities and to assist rescue operations.

The West Bengal government has opened an emergency control room with numbers 033- 22143526/ 22535185, she said.

A railway official said that a 22-member NDRF team has reached the accident site from Balasore, while another team consisting of 32 members has started from Cuttack.

The railways have activated several helpline numbers - 033-2638227 (Howrah),8972073925 (Kharagpur), 8249591559 (Balasore).

The Odisha Government too provided several helpline numbers -- 033-26382217, 8972073925, 67822 62286, 9332392339.