At least 146 people died and close to 150 are injured in a tragic crush incident on Wednesday in South Korea’s Seoul. The incident occurred at a Halloween gathering of more than 100,000 people in Itaewon, in Seoul’s Yongsan-gu district. 

Choi Seong-beom, the chief of Seoul’s Yongsan fire department, said that the death toll could rise as bodies are moved from the spot to nearby hospitals. Officials in South Korea say that the cush happened in a narrow alley near hamilton hotel- a popular party spot in Seoul.

Also read: Watch: South Korea Halloween crush that killed dozesns in Itaewon, Seoul

The crush incident has become easily one of the worst in history. Let’s take a look at similar incidents that happened over the past few decades.

5 worst crush incidents in history

1. 2015 Hajj Stampede 

Recorded as the deadliest hajj disaster in history, more than 2000 people were killed in a “crush and stampede” on September 24, 2015, in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Many of the people died either by suffocation or due to crush. The exact number of fatalities in the incident is highly disputed. According to the Associated Press, around 2411 people were killed, the official records of the Saudi Arabia government showed that around 769 died while 934 were injured. The exact cause of the overcrowding and the subsequent crush has still not been determined. 

2. 2022 Indonesian Soccer Stampede

A stampede incident occurred during a match between two teams in the top-tier Indonesian league at the atKanjuruhan Stadium in Malang on October 1. At least 174 people died in the incident and several others were injured. It started when fans of one of the teams invaded the pitch and to control the situation police used teargas. When the fans started rushing out through the exit gate, they found it closed resulting in a pile-up. Reports said that 34 people died instantly, while the rest were taken to the hospital before being pronounced dead. 

3. 1980 Colombia bullfight stadium collapse

An incident of wooden bleachers collapsing during a bullfight match on January 20, 1980, in Sincelej, Colombia led to the death of 147 people and injured at least 500. The Washington Post had reported that five sections of the bleachers at the ground collapsed while being fully crowded. Many of the victims died after being impaled on splintered beams while the others were trampled to death by the crowd.

Also read: South Korea Halloween crush: Why was there a crowd surge

4. 2011 Sabrimala crowd rush

A crowd rush incident in Kerala’s Sabrimala during the annual pilgrimage Makara Jyothi at Pullumedu near Sabrimala in Kerala, India, killed 106 pilgrims and injured 100. Millions of devotees were returning from a pilgrimage at a Hindu site when a jeep toppling over created complete chaos. Soon, it developed into a crush. The incident was later declared a “National Disaster” by the Indian government. 

6. 1994 Nagpur stampede

One of the worst stampede incidents in India happened on November 23, 1994, in India’s Nagpur. It happened when close to 50,00 people from the Gowai community – a minority ethnic group in India were protesting, and to disperse them, the police were charged with batons. 114 people were killed in the incident and 500 were injured. Justice S S Dani Commission was formed to investigate the incident, but it found no one responsible for the tragedy.