151 people were killed and 100 injured at a stampede in South Korea's nightlife district of Itaewon. Pedestrians and emergency workers desperately performed CPR on people lying down after the stampede. The horrific incident took place when over 100,000 people gathered for South Korea's biggest Halloween celebrations. Authorities have launched an urgent investigation to find out what exactly went wrong.
Itaewon is a hugely popular place to celebrate Halloween, especially since the holiday became more popular in Asia in recent years. Some even fly in from other countries to celebrate the festival in Seoul.
This year's festivities were the first one since celebrations were muted due to pandemic restrictions about two years ago. The venue-- a narrow street overflowed with costumed partygoers, mostly teenagers and young adults. Eyewitnesses described partygoers being packed so tightly together it was difficult to move around or even breathe, CNN reported.
Reportedly, people were crammed, standing shoulder-to-shoulder and there was very little crowd control. Crowds aren't unusual for Seoul residents, who are used to packed subways and streets in a city of almost 10 million. It took a while for people to realise something was wrong, especially as screams competed with blaring music from surrounding clubs and bars.
Among the dead are 19 foreign nationals, with victims from Iran, Norway, China, Thailand and Uzbekistan. The first emergency calls came at 10.24 pm and the police reached the area as soon as possible, but, couldn't reach those in need due to the sheer volume of people. As per officials, there were no gas leaks or fires. However, the actual cause is still not apparent.
Minister of Interior and Safety Lee Sang-min said that at least 90 per cent of the dead have been identified, but many remain missing. President Yoon Suk Yeol has promised that the government would “conduct emergency inspections not only for Halloween events but also for local festivals and thoroughly manage them so they are conducted in an orderly and safe manner.”
The government also said that psychological treatment and a fund would be given to families of the deceased and injured.
