BREAKING: 2 Trains Have Derailed In India; 12 Dead

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Two trains in India have derailed and have killed 12, possibly more.

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The rails were damaged during heavy rains in the area, which led to both of the trains crashing, according to IBNLive.com. The trains derailed within minutes of one another, and search crews are still looking for survivors. The searchers were hindered by bad weather and darkness as they began their search for people from the derailed trains who might be grasping onto trees or bushes for dear life.

“There was water on the tracks and the bridge was submerged. So the last bogies of Kamayani Express got derailed,” said railway spokesperson Anil Saxena. “Simultaneously, on the other track, the engines and coaches of the Janata Express also got derailed.”

A live blog from the Times of India reported Wednesday morning that the derailment may have been caused by a flash flood that swept against the train, flooding the insides up to the chests of some passengers.

By Wednesday morning, more than 300 passengers were saved from the strong currents that threatened the trains.

“I was sleeping and suddenly I felt a jolt,” said Manoj Mongi, a passenger on one of the trains. “I came out. I saw three women floating, but could not save them.”

India is not well known for having exceptional safety standards on its trains. In 2012, a report said that 15,000 people are killed every year on Indian railways. The report, issued by the government, said the deaths were the product of poor safety standards. It described the thousands of deaths as a “massacre.”