A Haloween event in South Korea’s Seoul took a tragic turn on Saturday after a stampede incident occurred at a gathering of over 1,00,000 people who were celebrating the first no-mask Halloween since the Covid-19 lockdowns. 

Multiple news outlets have reported that at least 149 people died and at least 150 others have been injured at the Halloween party.

Also read: South Korea Halloween gathering: Dozens in cardiac arrest, many out of breath

Watch first responders administering CPR to patients lying on the ground. 

The event occurred in Itaewon, in Seoul’s Yongsan-gu district. South Korea president Yoon Suk-Yeol ordered the disaster management team to respond to the area shortly afterward.

The BBC reported via official sources that at least 50 people have gone into cardiac arrest and many are feared dead. The large crowd surge took place on a narrow street, which made escape difficult for many.

A video posted by a Twitter user showed multiple dead bodies lined up on the street of Seoul after they could not be rescued from the stampede. Official confirmation of deaths is yet to arrive.

An official of Korea’s National Fire agency told the Associated Press that close to 100 people suffered injuries due to the crowd surge. The incident reportedly took place near Hamilton Hotel which is a major party spot in the South Korean capital.

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Reports coming out from South Korea states that as many as 400 emergency workers were deployed at the spot to respond to the stampede. 

Here’s a video of the dense crowd from the Halloween event at Itaewon.

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. Police have told the media that the injured have been taken to nearby hospitals.