68 injured in rare tram collision in France's Strasbourg

The toll from a collision of two trams in Strasbourg has risen to 68 injured in a rare accident that sowed panic near the eastern French city's main train station, the authorities said on Jan 12.

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On the afternoon of Jan 11, a stationary tram at the underground stop at Strasbourg's main railway station - one of the busiest in France outside of Paris - was violently hit by another tram, which began to move backwards for unknown reasons.

The moving tram, which had stopped due to a traffic jam, reversed and rolled down a slope leading to the station. Both trams carried dozens of passengers.

As a result of the collision, 68 people were injured, according to the prefecture, which released an updated toll on Jan 12. Around 100 people escaped unharmed.

Video footage posted online shows chaotic scenes, with the two trams significantly damaged, an alarm going off and people screaming.