At least 23 people were killed and dozens injured after an express train derailed in north India on Saturday, officials said, as rescuers clambered across mangled carriages to pull passengers from the wreckage.

Emergency workers and crowds of local people rushed to the site where 14 coaches derailed near Muzaffarnagar district in Uttar Pradesh state, some 130 kilometres (80 miles) from New Delhi, the latest deadly disaster on the country's creaking rail network.

"Twenty-three people have died and 64 others are injured in the accident. Rescue and relief operations are continuing," G S Priyadarshi, Muzaffarnagar district magistrate, told AFP.

A police officer at the accident spot said 50 people had been taken to hospital.