At least 154 people have died and 82 were injured in a stampede as huge Halloween crowds surged into a narrow street in South Korea’s capital, Seoul.
Officials fear the death count could rise further. At least were injured and rushed to the hospital.
Timeline of the tragedy
- An estimated 100,000 people dressed in Halloween costumes gathered in an alley at Itaewon. This was the first Halloween event after the Covid restrictions were lifted.
- At the same time, a huge crowd was reportedly coming out of the Hamilton shopping mall and the Itaewon subway station.
- Around 5 pm, social media messages were being posted online with people saying that the streets of the district were so crowded they felt unsafe.
- The first emergency was reported at around 10:22 pm.
- A steeply sloping alleyway became the death trap. A number of people on the slope fell over, causing a massive crush. They were trampled by those behind. Plus, crowds pressed from both ends of the narrow street meant no one could get out. Reports said the alleyway where the stampede took place is four metres in width, not spacious enough to even fit a Sedan properly.
- Video clips of the disaster showed real-life horror unfolding, with one witness likening the disaster to a war movie. The clips showed crowds jammed so tight that they could barely move; rescuers desperately tugging at people to extract them from a crowd jammed tight; bystanders helping paramedics to administer CPR to victims, and a long line of victims in bodybags on the pavement.
- Initial reports said that about 50 people had suffered cardiac arrests - a common cause of death during a crush.
- Ambulances had a tough time reaching the victim moving through the crowds. Police were standing on the top of cars telling people to leave the area and to make way for ambulances.
- Locals in Yongsan district began receiving government emergency broadcasts on their mobile phones, advising people to return home as soon as possible due to an emergency situation near the Hamilton Hotel.
- The first confirmed death toll was issued at 02:30 local time. Officials said that 59 people had died and a further 150 were injured. An hour later, the numbers jumped to 120 dead and 100 injured. Through the night the toll kept rising, and finally surpassed 150.
- Even hours after the stampede had occurred, people in the area were still partying, dancing and singing on the road blocking the way of the rescue operations. Music could be heard coming from some of the bars and clubs in the area. It is assumed the venues and their patrons were unaware of the grave event unfolding in their immediate vicinity.
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Young victims
Those killed or hurt were mostly teens and people in their 20s, confirms Choi Seong-beom, chief of Seoul‘s Yongsan fire department.
A majority of victims were young women in their 20s, who suffocated and died in the tightly-packed crowd.
Actor and former Produce 101 Season 2 contestant Lee Ji Han, 25, was one of the victims in the Itaewon tragedy. The fantasy romance show, Kkokdu’s Gye Jeol, which had a few pending scenes involving his character, has been put on hold. There are still that have not been filmed, but no decision has been made on the replacement of the actor yet.
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The interior ministry said that the victims included 26 foreigners from the United States, Uzbekistan, Austria, Norway, Vietnam, Kazakhstan, Iran, and Sri Lanka.
A Country Mourns
South Korean president Yoon Suk-Yeol declared a national mourning period until November 5 along with the cancelation of any non-urgent events. "My heart is heavy and I struggle to cope with my grief," he said, adding that he felt "responsible for people's lives and safety".
Prime Minister Han Duck-soo promised a thorough investigation into the stampede and added that his government would make necessary changes to prevent such an accident from happening again.
The national flags at government buildings and public offices will fly at half-mast.
The Seoul metropolitan government announced that a public memorial will be set up for the victims and families in mourning.
There is usually a hive of activity around Itaewon on Sunday afternoons, but the day after the tragedy many shops, restaurants, and cafes were closed, and the area's main street was sealed off.
India offers condolences
A tweet posted by the Indian embassy in South Korea said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had conveyed his heartfelt condolences to the friends and families who lost their loved ones.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Sunday condoled the loss of lives, and said that India stands in solidarity with the country during this difficult time.
