Atleast 120 people have been found dead, and 150 others are left injured as a result of a stampede in a market in Seoul, South Korea. A crowd of almost one lakh people had gathered in Itaewon, a district of the megacity, which has several shops and narrow streets. The crowd was gathered to celebrate Halloween publicly.
Several people who had gone into cardiac arrest were reported to have been escorted out by police professionals and firemen. The huge crowd was a result of the first public Halloween after two years of subdued festivities due to COVID-19 restrictions.
Rescue workers and firefighters work on the scene of a crushing accident in Seoul, South Korea, Saturday, Oct. 29, 2022. (Lee Ji-eun/Yonhap via AP)
The Korea Herald, a local newspaper, reported that several people fell unconscious near the hotel, just before midnight. Authorities received messages from people there finding it hard to breathe. Videos from the location are making rounds on social media, which show a sense of panic among the people.
The number of dead and injured is expected to grow with time, however, local media reports have stated that there are many women in their 20s, among the injured.
The Reason
The people are believed to have been crushed to death after the crowd moved forward near the Hamilton Hotel, a spot in the Itaewon district, famous for its nightlife. Other media reports state that the crush was a result of a rumour. On hearing about a celebrity visiting a bar, people rushed in large numbers to that place.
In the state of emergency, around 400 workers from around South Korea, and the available personnel in Seoul have been sent to treat the injured, stated an official.
More than 400 emergency workers from around the country, including practically all available personnel in Seoul, were sent to treat the injured, he said.
The death toll is expected to grow in the next few hours
Twitter Reacts
Breaking News: About 50 people reported hurt in stampede in South Korea
Emergency officials received at least 81 calls from people in the Itaewon area saying they were having difficulty breathing.#stampede 📍#Itaewon #SouthKorea #Halloween pic.twitter.com/FnoD7z9ot4
— Prateek Pratap Singh (@PrateekPratap5) October 29, 2022
#SouthKorea
59 people dead and 150 injured in crush during #Halloween celebrations in #Seoul pic.twitter.com/8oWsKBMqwH— Ashish Mishra (@AshishMisraRBL) October 29, 2022
South Korea: In Seoul, 59 people were killed and 150 injured due to a stampede during Halloween celebrations.#halloween #southkorea pic.twitter.com/llTszzryIL
— The_anonymous_wave (@anonymouswave1) October 29, 2022
#SouthKorea: About 81 people have been receiving CPR after suffering from cardiac arrest in #Seoul's #Itaewon area due to overcrowding during the #Halloween festivities in Itaewon, a popular nightlife district in Seoul. pic.twitter.com/dgyGmFYaNb
— Wᵒˡᵛᵉʳᶤᶰᵉ Uᵖᵈᵃᵗᵉˢ𖤐 (@W0lverineupdate) October 29, 2022
