Survivor tells of the train crash that killed 288 people in India.

India is racing against time to find survivors under overturned and broken trains, as the death toll has risen to nearly 300.

According to the Telegraph, at least 288 people were killed and more than 1,000 injured in the collision of three trains in the eastern Indian state of Odisha on June 2. It was the deadliest railway accident in the country in more than 20 years.

Throughout the night, Indian rescue teams mobilized resources to search for about 200 passengers believed to be still trapped under the rubble, raising fears that the death toll would continue to rise. The rescue side admits that the situation at this time is awful. 

Amitabh Sharma, chief executive officer of Indian Railways, admits it is difficult to assess the exact number of casualties. He said 10 to 12 train carriages had derailed, sending debris onto nearby tracks. The second passenger train was moving when it crashed into this debris, causing three cars to derail. The parked freight train was also involved in the collision. The cause of the accident is under investigation.

One survivor recounted that 10-15 people fell over him when the accident happened, and things went badly.

"I was at the scene and saw the blood, hands, feet, and bodies of people around me," a witness told Reuters.

Ashok Samal, a shop owner, told The Hindustan Times that he was approaching the scene when he heard a loud crash.

He ran over and saw the wreckage of the destroyed carriages. Those trapped below called for help.

"There was loud screaming and blood everywhere," he said.

One survivor told TV reporters he was asleep when the crash happened and woke up to find himself trapped under about a dozen passengers before crawling out of the carriage.

Manish, a volunteer, tried to donate blood at Soro Block Hospital but couldn't get in because it was packed with people wanting to help the victims.

"There are victims' bodies around. Injured passengers are being treated outside the hospital for lack of beds," he said. 

Indian Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced that the victims would be compensated. Specifically, the families of those killed will receive the equivalent of $12,000, those with serious injuries will receive $2,490, and those with minor injuries will receive $622.

Despite the government's efforts to improve railway safety, India still has hundreds of accidents with this type of traffic every year. More than 12 million people travel on 14,000 trains across India every day. The Indian rail network is about 64,000km long.

The deadliest accident on the Indian railway network was in 1981, when a train derailed while crossing a river, causing it to fall downwards and killing more than 800 people.