At Least 149 People Dead After Stampede During Halloween Celebrations In South Korea
At least 149 people have been killed in a horrific crash in the South Korean capital when a huge crowd of young people poured into a narrow Seoul street during Halloween celebrations.
The death toll has been revised several times throughout the night and there are fears it could go even higher.
The fire department said the majority of the victims are teens or in their early 20s.
At least two of those killed are foreign nationals and 19 more are fighting for their lives in hospital.
Footage posted to social media showed victims lying in the street having CPR performed on them after going into cardiac arrest.
Another image showed rows of body bags and emergency services battling to deal with the tragedy.
Thousands of revellers rushed through an alleyway in the Itaewon nightlife district Saturday night.
President Yoon Suk Yeol ordered the Ministry of Health and Welfare to deploy disaster medical teams and secure hospital beds for those injured.
Footage showed citizens, police officers and emergency medical workers performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation on dozens of people lying in the street.
Other images from the scene showed body bags lining the streets and firefighters carrying bodies covered with white sheets on stretchers to ambulances.
Ahead of one of Seoul’s most popular nights of the year, the narrow street was jam-packed with as many as 100 000 people eager to celebrate Halloween.
Some social media users have claimed the surge erupted as a large number of people rushed to a bar to see an unidentified celebrity.
