Over 150 killed in Seoul Halloween crowd surge: LIve updates - CNN

Two US citizens were among those killed successful Saturday’s Halloween catastrophe successful Itaewon, the fashionable nightlife territory successful South Korea’s superior Seoul, the US embassy told CNN.

“Our unit successful Seoul and colleagues successful the United States are moving tirelessly to supply consular assistance to the victims of past night’s incidental and their families,” an embassy connection work Sunday.
“The U.S. Embassy successful Seoul is moving intimately with section authorities and different spouse organizations to assistance U.S. citizens affected. We connection our sincerest condolences to the loved ones of those killed and proceed to assistance the injured. Due to privateness considerations, we person nary further details astatine this time.”

At slightest 153 radical were killed successful a crush, with different 133 injured, erstwhile crowds of radical celebrating Halloween swelled successful constrictive alleys of Seoul’s fashionable nightlife district.

A French nationalist is among those killed successful the Seoul Halloween assemblage surge, according to the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

“It is with large sadness that we learned of the decease of 1 of our compatriots during the calamity successful Seoul. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Europe via its situation enactment halfway and its embassy successful Seoul is afloat mobilized to assistance and enactment the household of our compatriot,” a spokesperson for the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs said successful a connection Sunday.

So far, China, Iran, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Japan, Australia, Norway and France person each confirmed deaths of their nationals successful the incidental that took spot successful the fashionable Seoul nightclub territory of Itaewon Saturday night.

Seoul Metropolitan Police said they person confirmed the identities of astir each those killed successful an evident assemblage surge at Seoul’s popular nightclub territory Itaewon connected Saturday.

The identities of 150 radical killed person been confirmed, constabulary told CNN connected Sunday. The decease toll from the catastrophe stands astatine 153.

The 3 bodies who person yet to beryllium identified are each young women whose nationalities person yet to beryllium verified, they added. 

The Seoul Metropolitan Government had said they had received 4,024 missing persons reports arsenic of 5 p.m. section clip (4 a.m. ET), though immoderate of these reports could subordinate to the aforesaid people.

Police said determination is nary progressive hunt for those reported missing arsenic they judge nary 1 went missing from the scene. They said thousands of missing idiosyncratic reports person been utilized to assistance place those killed successful the incident.

Rescue crews seen successful the nightlife territory of Itaewon successful Seoul connected October 30.

Jung Yeon-je/AFP/Getty Images

On Saturday night, tens of thousands of radical flooded into the streets of the Itaewon vicinity successful Seoul to observe Halloween.

But arsenic the nighttime went on, panic erupted arsenic the crowds swelled. What precisely caused the crush inactive isn’t clear, but witnesses accidental partygoers had been packed tightly successful the district’s constrictive streets and it was hard to determination around.

As of Sunday afternoon, 153 radical person been killed – making it 1 of the country’s worst disasters.

Here’s a recap of what other we cognize truthful far.

An English teacher successful Seoul who was passing done Itaewon connected Saturday nighttime recounted what she saw to CNN.

“There were rows and rows of radical with tarps covering them successful the street,” said Emily Farmer, 27.

Farmer, who was with 2 friends, said she did not spot immoderate assemblage power measures successful spot successful the area.

The calamity has killed astatine slightest 151 people and near dozens much hurt. Nineteen overseas nationals, from Iran, Norway, China and Uzbekistan, are besides among the dead. 

Farmer and her friends were “overwhelmed” by the crowds connected the thoroughfare and decided to participate a bar.

Shortly after, rumors started spreading that idiosyncratic had died and patrons were not allowed to leave. Farmer said she received an exigency connection from the authorities alerting them to “a unsafe concern successful the area.”

She was allowed to permission the barroom astatine astir midnight and she learned of the calamity that had taken spot conscionable outside.

“It was horrible,” she said. “Not everyone died instantly.”

“They were inactive pulling radical (out) due to the fact that it was truthful crowded,” she added.

Groups of radical were crying, she added. Many victims were receiving CPR and had their costumes taken disconnected to let medics astatine the country to resuscitate them.

She inactive hasn’t heard backmost from 2 acquaintances successful the country who she messaged past night. “I’m inactive successful shock. It was evidently precise traumatic,” she added.