Seven wild Asian elephants died on Saturday when they were hit by a high-speed train as they attempted to cross a railway track in Assam, northeastern India.
The train driver saw a herd of about 100 elephants. Indian Railways spokesperson Kapinjal Kishore Sharma told the Associated Press news agency that they applied emergency brakes but still hit some animals.
Eight elephants were initially reported dead, but officials later learned that one elephant was alive but injured, Indian news agency Press Trust of India reported.
More information about collision
Sharma said five coaches of the train derailed, but none of the 650 passengers on board were harmed.
“We removed the coaches that were not derailed and the train resumed its journey to New Delhi. Around 200 passengers traveling in the five derailed coaches have been taken to Guwahati in a separate train,” Sharma said.
Indian news channel NDTV, citing unnamed sources, reported that train services were affected in upper Assam and other parts of the northeast as elephant body parts were scattered on the tracks.
elephant collision in india