Three passengers were killed and over 15 injured when a passenger train derailed near Belgaum in Karnataka on Monday evening due to flash floods which washed out tracks, railways said, District Collector Anvu Kumar said.

The mishap occured at about 5.19 pm when seven coaches of the Hubli-Miraj passenger train derailed 16 km from Belgaum due to flash floods triggered by incessant rains, claiming two lives, a railway ministry spokesperson said.

He said tracks were washed away at sections because of floods which led to the derailment.

Union Railway Minister C P Joshi announced Rs 5 lakh to the next of the kin of the deceased and Rs 1 lakh for those who sustained grevious injuries. Besides, he announced Rs 25,000 for those who sustained simple injuries.

Medical relief trains were rushed from Castle Rock, Hubli and Miraj to the accident site, the spokesperson said.

With inputs from Vicky Nanjappa