THIRUVANANTHAPURAM — Continuous heavy rainfall triggering a sudden landslide near Parassala railway station in Kerala derailed the engine of the Bilaspur–Tirunelveli Express (Train No. 22619) early on Thursday morning, October 22, 2026. The incident, which occurred at approximately 2:19 AM, disrupted rail operations along the Neyyattinkara–Parassala corridor, leading to multiple train cancellations and widespread delays across the region.
Southern Railway confirmed that all passengers and railway staff on board are safe, with no casualties or injuries reported.
Following torrential rains, mud and debris slid onto the tracks as the express train approached Parassala. The train came to a stop before its locomotive slipped off the rails due to the displaced earth.
An Accident Relief Train (ART) along with restoration teams were dispatched to the site to clear the debris and re-rail the engine. Southern Railway halted the Bilaspur–Tirunelveli Express at Neyyattinkara station, leaving the remainder of its run toward Tirunelveli partially cancelled. Special buses were deployed to transport stranded passengers to their destinations.
The incident caused widespread rail disruptions, resulting in temporary suspensions, full cancellations, and significant delays across several regional and express lines. To accommodate emergency track-clearing operations on Thursday, at least six passenger trains were fully cancelled, including routes between Thiruvananthapuram North, Nagercoil Junction, and Kollam Junction.
Major long-distance services were also hit hard: the Kanniyakumari–Mangaluru Central Parasuram Express (Train No. 16650) faced delays exceeding three hours, while services such as the Tambaram–Thiruvananthapuram Central Special and the Madurai–Punalur Express suffered route detentions along the affected stretch.
The derailment follows severe weather across southern Kerala. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued weather alerts for Thiruvananthapuram and surrounding districts, forecasting heavy to very heavy rainfall through the weekend.
To mitigate ongoing passenger inconvenience, Southern Railway has activated dedicated help desks and round-the-clock emergency assistance lines across key stations, including Thiruvananthapuram Central and Nagercoil Junction. Railway engineers and safety inspectors remain on-site monitoring slope stability, with senior officials assuring that full service across the affected section will be restored as soon as safety clearance is granted.
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