South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol declared national mourning on Sunday for the tragedy that left hundreds of deaths during a Halloween parade. The head of state said the government will pay for the medical treatment of the injured and the burial of the dead.
Dozens of mostly partying youth in Seoul were trapped and crushed after a crowd entered a narrow alley, the Associated Press reported. At least 149 people were killed and another 150 injured in the worst accident of its kind in South Korea in years.
Rescuers and bystanders desperately performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation to people lying in the streets after the stampede in the capital’s Itaewon district last night. Choi Sung-byom, the Seoul fire chief, said the death toll could rise further and that 19 of the injured are in critical condition.
About 100,000 people had gathered in Itaewon for the largest outdoor Halloween celebrations in the country since the start of the pandemic. In recent months, the South Korean government has eased restrictions imposed due to COVID-19.
146 dead and 150 injured at the Halloween parade (VIDEO + PHOTO)
It’s still unclear what prompted the crowds to rush down the narrow, steep alley near the Hamilton Hotel, one of Seoul’s top party spots. One survivor said many people fell and knocked over each other “like dominoes” after being pushed by others. The survivor said he was trapped for about an hour and a half before being rescued, according to information from Seoul’s Hankyoreh newspaper. Some people shouted “Help me!” and others could not catch their breath.
In an interview with the YTN news channel, a witness said it was shocking to see rows of bodies near the hotel. He said rescuers were initially overwhelmed and passersby had to administer CPR to the wounded lying on the street.
The fire chief said the bodies are sent to hospitals or a gym where their relatives will be able to identify them. He added that most of the dead and wounded were 20 years old.
More than 800 rescuers and police officers from across the country, including all available personnel in Seoul, were sent to the scene to treat the injured. The National Fire Safety Agency said officials are still trying to determine the exact number of emergency patients.
South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol has released a statement urging officials to provide timely treatment to the injured and to monitor the safety of the vacation spots.
It is the deadliest tragedy in South Korean history. In 2005, a pop concert in the southern city of Sangju killed 11 people and injured about 60.
