South Korea Halloween crush: Nearly 100,000 gathered in first no-mask celebration after COVID
- A stampede occurred at a Halloween party in South Korean capital Seoul
- Dozens of people reportedly suffered cardiac arrests
- Many people reported feeling out of breath
South Korean officials say at least 149 people have died in the incident and more than 150 are injured in a crush during Halloween celebrations in capital Seoul.
“The area is still chaotic so we are still trying to figure out the exact number of people injured,” an official at the National Fire Agency told Reuters.
Also Read | South Korea Halloween crush: Why was there a crowd surge
South Korean President Yon Suk-yeol presided over an emergency meeting and ordered medical teams to the area earlier.
Initially, numbers announced by an official suggested at least 50 people were in cardiac arrest. The incident took place following a large crowd surge along a narrow street.
Dozens of people are in cardiac arrest and at least 81 people have reported being out of breath at a Halloween event in South Korea capital Seoul, reports BBC.
Also Read | South Korea Halloween crush: At least 120 dead
People were crushed after a large crowd began pushing forward in a narrow alley near Hamilton Hotel, a major party spot.
Emergency workers from all around the nation, numbering up to 400, including practically all available personnel in Seoul were deployed to the streets to treat the injured.
Videos on
social media showed first responders perform CPR on people lying scattered on the
street. Police say many have been taken to nearby hospitals. Local media
reports say another stampede occurred at an Itaewon bar earlier when people
heard an unidentified celebrity was visiting.
There were nearly 100,000 people gathered in the area celebrating the first mask-free Halloween since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Earlier in the evening, those at the party zone had begun reporting that the area had become so crowded that it was feeling unsafe. An emergency message was broadcast to all mobile phones in Youngsan Districts urging residents to return home as soon as possible due to an emergency accident near Hamilton Hotel in Itaewon, a local journalist told the BBC.
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