Tragic stampede at a Halloween party in South Korea: at least 151 dead

SEOUL.- At least 151 people were killed and several dozen injured after being crushed by a large crowd advancing on a narrow street during Halloween celebrations in the capital Seoul, South Korean officials said. Choi Seong-beom, chief of the Yongsan fire department in Seoul, initially told a news conference in the early hours (local time) that the death toll had risen to 149. and the number of injured was 79. However, two more fatalities were later confirmed. There are 19 foreigners among the deceased.Authorities say it was believed that people they were crushed to death after a large crowd began to advance in a narrow alley near the Hamilton Hotel, a major party spot in Seoul.Tragic stampede at a Halloween party in South Korea: at least 146 deadThe neighborhood of Itaewon It is known for its Halloween celebrations and thousands of people gathered in its narrow streets, authorities said. Tragic stampede at a Halloween party in South Korea: at least 146 dead The South Korean president, Yoon Suk-yeol, ordered first aid teams to be sent to the scene and asked hospitals to prepare to receive the wounded, the presidency said. The president called an emergency meeting of the Presidential Crisis Management Center in Yongsan, Seoul. The mayor of Seoul, Oh Se Hoon, has also been informed and is returning from Europe after suspending a trip in which he was scheduled to visit four countries. In some photos published by Yonhap, more than a dozen people are seen lying on a cordoned off street , with rescuers tending to some of them.Rescuers work to treat victims in Itaewon districtJUNG YEON-JE – AFPChoi said that More than 400 emergency workers and 140 vehicles from across the country, including all available personnel in Seoul, fanned out on the streets to treat the injured.Television footage and photos from the scene showed ambulance vehicles lining the streets amid a heavy police presence and emergency workers carrying the injured on stretchers. Emergency workers and pedestrians were also seen performing CPR on people lying in the streets. Several people, apparently among the injured, were seen covered in yellow blankets. Some local media reports earlier said that The crush occurred after a large number of people rushed to an Itaewon bar after hearing that an unidentified celebrity was visiting.Local media said around 100,000 people flocked to the streets of Itaewon for the Halloween festivities, which were the biggest in years after the relaxation of Covid-19 restrictions in recent months.AP and AFP AgenciesLA NACIONGet to know The Trust Project