In Korea, there was a large-scale casualty due to crushing.
At 10:15 pm on the 29th, in Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, a crowd gathered before Halloween gathered in a narrow alley, causing many casualties.
According to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, 154 people died in the disaster at 17:30 on the 30th, including 98 women and 56 men.
Many of the injured are believed to be in serious condition and the death toll is likely to rise.
The death toll of foreigners is 26 from 14 countries.
The nationalities of the foreign victims are: Iran 5, China 4, Russia 3, Japan 2, USA 2, and France, Australia, Vietnam, Uzbekistan, Norway, Kazakhstan, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Austria.
The incident occurred when a crowd gathered in a 4 meter wide alley in the center of Itaewon. Witnesses said at that time that the people in front of them fell and the people behind them started being crushed.
Firefighters said most of the dead were between 20 and 30 years old.
South Korean President Yoon Seok-yeol said: “This is truly tragic” and said he would place the handling of the incident as the top priority of state affairs.
The Korean government has set a national mourning period until midnight on November 5th.
Korean media reported that at least 100,000 people came to Itaewon on this day to enjoy the first Halloween event in three years after the crown’s quarantine policy eased and the Halloween vibe.
Korean media reported the opinions of medical experts and analyzed that the cause of death was more likely traumatic suffocation due to pressure than bleeding.
Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden and other world leaders have expressed their condolences for the Itaewon massacre, Seoul.
In a statement released on the 29th, President Biden said in a statement released on the 29th that he and his wife, Jill Biden, expressed their deepest condolences to families who have lost a loved one in Seoul. “The United States will stand alongside South Korea during this tragic time,” Biden said.
Specifically, after the news of the death of two Americans was reported, he wrote on Twitter: “I felt heartbroken to hear that among the many people who lost their lives in Seoul, there were at least two Americans. I give my heart, “He said.
The US embassy in Korea raised a flag on the 30th to commemorate the victims who were crushed in South Korea.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs: “I am deeply shocked and very saddened that many people, including young people, lost their precious lives in the tragic accident in Itaewon, Seoul.”
“On behalf of the Japanese government and people, I express my heartfelt condolences to the victims and their grieving families and I will pray for the injured to recover as soon as possible,” said Prime Minister Kishida. “he added.
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, French President Emmanuel Macron, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz also expressed their condolences on Twitter.
Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin also sent condolences to South Korean President Yun Seok-yeol and expressed their condolences.
VOA News
