DHAKA: At least 20 people have died and dozens left injured when two passenger trains ploughed into each other.

The trains crashed head on in southern Italy today, Italian newspaper la Repubblica reported on its website, says mirror.co.uk.

No immediate reason was given for the crash, which happened on a rail track in the middle of the countryside, north of the city of Bari in the heel of Italy.

The crash took place near the town of Andria in the Puglia region. Rescuers are still pulling passengers from the wreckage.

The president of Puglia, Michele Emiliano, says the death toll has now risen to 20.

National police and carabinieri could not immediately provide details about the extent of the incident, though some sources said as many as 10 people had been killed.

Ambulances and the fire service are attending the scene.

Video taken at the scene shows a derailed carriage tilted on its side and emergency workers and a fleet of ambulances.

The Mayor of Corato, Massimo Mazzilli wrote on Facebook, ‘The disaster is like a plane crash’.

The head of the Andria police department Riccardo Zingaro added, ‘There are many dead’.

‘There was a head-on collision on a single-track and some of the carriages are completely crumpled. The rescuers are pulling people from the wreckage,’ he told La Repubblica.

More than 200 trains use the line every day and work had been taking place to add an extra line to ensure an collision cannot happen.

BDST: 1208 HRS, JUL 12, 2016
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** 10 dead in Italy train crash