At least 17 dead, 120 injured in Taiwan train derailment

At least 17 people died and another 120 injured as of 7 p.m. Sunday local time, after a passenger train derailed in Taiwan on Sunday afternoon, according to the island's railway authority.

The Puyuma Express No. 6432 bound for Taitung from Shulin Station with 366 passengers on board derailed at 4:50 p.m. local time at Su'aoxin Station in Yilan County. A total of 17 people were declared dead before being sent to hospital.

Five of the eight cars of the express train overturned. The cause of the derailment is still under investigation.

The injured passengers were rushed to four local hospitals for treatment.

Train services in both directions have been halted.

The Puyuma Express has an operational maximum speed of 130 kph.

(XinhuaNet )