The death toll in what is one of the worst train accidents in India has hit 142.

At 3 a.m. on Sunday, the Indore-Patna Express derailed near Pukhrayan station, 60 km away from Kanpur city. About 100 people were declared dead yesterday.

Officials said that 142 people lost their lives in the accident, with bodies of nearly 60 identified. Over 150 people were injured when 14 bogies of the train derailed. The death toll could rise as some of the injured are said to be in serious condition. Rescue workers continue to comb through the mangled remains of the bogies for possible survivors.

Railway minister Suresh Prabhu and Minister of State for Railways Manoj Sinha arrived at the accident spot yesterday.

"Strict actions will be taken against those responsible for the disaster," Sinha added. It's unclear what caused this accident, but outdated and exhausted equipment are a major cause for such accidents. The minister is expected to address both houses of the Parliament today.

Image: Pacific Press/Sipa USA

More than 15,000 people lose their lives every year in train accidents in India, according to government's own estimates. According to data from the National Crime Records Bureau, nearly 28,000 people died in railway-related accidents in 2014 alone.