Kochi, Aug 28 (PTI) : Twelve coaches of Thiruvananthapuram- Mangalore express derailed in the wee hours today near Karukutty station, around 45 kms from here, Southern Railway said. No casualties were reported in the incident.

The incident took place around 2.30 am when the 16347 express train derailed between Aluva and Karukutty stations in Ernakulam district after leaving from Thiruvanathapuram at 8.40 pm yesterday, a Southern Railway spokesman said. Following the incident, buses and local trains were arranged to ferry the stranded passengers to Kochi and Thrissur.

Traffic on both the lines of the route is affected due to the derailment and six to 10 hours are expected to complete the repair works of the damaged tracks on Ernakulam-Thrissur route, he said. Some local trains connecting major stations of Kerala have been cancelled because of the derailment.

According to a Thiruvananthapuram report five long distance trains on routes -- Trivandrum-Mumbai, Kanyakumari-Bangalore, Alapuzha-Dhanbad, Trivandrum-Gorakhpur Raptisagar, Trivandrum-Hyderabad Sabari express have been diverted via Tirunelveli-Erode route, Southern Railways said.

At least 15 passenger trains, besides Guruvayur-Trivandrum intercity and its pairing train, Ernakulam-Kannur express, Alapuzha-Kannur express of August 29 and 16305 Kannur-Ernakulam express of August 30 have been cancelled, it said. Some other trains were also partially cancelled.

Janashatabdi express and Venad express from Thiruvananthapuram will conclude their onward journeys at Ernakulam. Passengers from the derailed train were taken in buses shortly after the incident. 11 buses had been arranged through Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) to ferry the stranded passengers.