Local authorities report that a crowd surge during busy Halloween celebrations in Seoul, the capital of South Korea, resulted in at least 154 deaths and over 100 further injuries.Two US citizens and at least 26 other foreign nationals are among the fatalities. There are confirmed victims from their country at more than a dozen embassies around the world.
In Itaewon’s entertainment district, there was a crush. Witnesses report that partygoers were crammed closely into the small streets, however it is unclear what provoked the influx.There will be a day of national mourning, according to South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol. António Guterres, the secretary-general of the United Nations, “is very grieved by the tragic occurrence” in Seoul, according to a statement released by his spokesperson on Sunday.
A chaotic crush that killed at least 154 people during Halloween celebrations in the popular nightlife district of Itaewon has left South Korea searching for answers. As a result, the government has imposed a period of national mourning. The Interior and Safety Ministry of South Korea announced Sunday that 154 people had died as a result of Saturday’s crowd surge during a jam-packed Halloween festival in Seoul. At least 26 foreign nationals perished in the catastrophe, according to the government.The ministry claimed it is making every effort to help the bereaved families of the foreigners killed in the catastrophe, including facilitating their entry into South Korea and assisting with burial arrangements.
Concerns are being raised as South Korea, which is reeling from a tragedy that claimed at least 153 lives, tries to understand how such a catastrophe could have occurred in a well-known gathering place. It’s difficult to pin down what may have started the crush, but according to CNN national security analyst and crisis management specialist Juliette Kayyem, officials “would have anticipated big numbers” before Saturday night.