Seoul crowd disaster leaves South Korea reeling, as death toll rises to 154 - CNN

CNN  — 

South Korean authorities were connected Sunday investigating the assemblage surge that killed astatine slightest 154 partygoers successful Seoul, arsenic the rattled federation attempts to travel to presumption with 1 of its worst-ever disasters.

The state has begun a week-long play of mourning portion officials effort to recognize however the devastating crush took place.

At slightest 26 overseas nationals, including 2 US citizens, are among the dead. More than a twelve embassies astir the globe person confirmed victims from their country.

What caused Saturday’s surge is unclear, but witnesses accidental partygoers were packed tightly into constrictive streets successful the capital’s nightlife territory of Itaewon, arsenic radical enjoyed the archetypal Halloween play since Covid-19 restrictions were lifted.

Nearly each of the victims – astatine slightest 150 – person been identified; constabulary told CNN. The toll included 56 men and 97 women, South Korea’s Interior and Safety Ministry reported.

As of 5 p.m. section clip Sunday (4 a.m. ET), the fig of radical injured had risen to 133, of whom 37 were earnestly injured, the ministry said.

“There were rows and rows of radical with tarps covering them successful the street,” Emily Farmer, a 27-year-old English teacher successful Seoul who was passing done Itaewon, told CNN.

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,” and aboriginal was allowed to permission the bar, erstwhile she discovered the standard of the tragedy.

“It was horrible,” she said. “Not everyone died instantly.” 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. “They were inactive pulling radical (out) due to the fact that it was truthful crowded,” she added.

Another eyewitness, Sung Sehyun, told CNN that the thoroughfare abstraction was similar a “jammed subway” connected Saturday evening, with Halloween partygoers packed truthful tightly that it was hard to determination around.

Suah Cho added that radical had started to propulsion and shove, and determination was a batch of screaming. She yet managed to instrumentality a detour and fled to information but had seen radical climbing buildings to survive. She added that the costumes radical were wearing added to the confusion; “there was besides a constabulary serviceman screaming but we couldn’t truly archer (if it) was a existent constabulary serviceman due to the fact that truthful galore radical were wearing costumes.”

Witnesses told CNN determination was precise small – if immoderate – assemblage power earlier the wide of radical turned deadly.

Videos and photos posted to societal media amusement radical crammed together, lasting enarthrosis to enarthrosis successful the constrictive street.

Crowds are not antithetic for that area, oregon for Seoul residents, who are utilized to jam-packed subways and streets successful a metropolis of astir 10 million.

After the archetypal exigency calls came successful astir 10:24 p.m., authorities rushed to the country – but the sheer measurement of radical made it hard to scope those who needed help. Video posted to societal media showed radical performing compressions connected different partygoers lying connected the crushed arsenic they waited for aesculapian assistance.

A fig of countries, including the US, China, Iran, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Japan, Australia, Norway and France, person confirmed that their nationals were among the victims.

A University of Kentucky nursing pupil is among the dead, according to a connection from assemblage president Eli Capilouto. Anne Gieske, a inferior from Northern Kentucky, was studying overseas successful Seoul this semester, Capilouto said.

Three South Korean subject unit were besides among those killed, a Korean defence ministry authoritative told CNN.

The South Korean authorities has acceptable a nationalist mourning play starting until the extremity of November 5, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo said successful a briefing.

During the mourning period, each nationalist institutions and diplomatic offices volition alert flags astatine fractional staff, Han said, adding that each non-urgent events volition beryllium postponed.

Civil servants and employees of nationalist institutions volition deterioration ribbons to explicit their condolences during the mourning period, Han said.