Seven dead after 50 vehicles collide due to fog on Rohtak-Rewari highway

Dense fog had reduced visibility in the wee hours while the debris of vehicles reveal that most of them could have been at high speeds.

At least eight people died and ten were injured in a horrific 50-vehicle pileup on Rohtak highway in Haryana early on Monday.

The incident took place in the wee hours when visibility was reportedly low due to a dense fog cover. A number of trucks and cars - as well as a school bus - collided with each other and initial investigation shows that high speeds and low visibility may have led to the unfortunate accident. Debris of the vehicles were all over the highway - another indication that the collisions may have occurred at high speeds.

Emergency rescue personnel managed to take out the dead bodies and the injured with much difficulty while a crane was brought in to separate the vehicles from one another. Of the seven dead, five are women.

It is reported that traffic movement on the stretch was extremely slow till noon. Haryana minister OP Dhankar was later quoted by news agency ANI as saying that a compensation of Rs 2 lakhs will be given to the kin of the deceased, Rs 1 lakh to those severely injured and Rs 50,000 to those who received minor injuries.

Dense fog results in several accidents across north India each year with authorities urging people to drive slow and avoid travelling when visibility is precariously low.