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Seoul, South Korea — Concerned relatives raced to hospitals successful hunt of their loved ones Sunday arsenic South Korea mourned the deaths of much than 150 people, mostly successful their teens and 20s, who got trapped and crushed aft a immense Halloween enactment assemblage surged into a constrictive alley successful a nightlife territory successful Seoul.
Witnesses said the assemblage surge successful the Itaewon country connected Saturday nighttime caused "a hell-like" chaos arsenic radical fell connected each different "like dominos." Some radical were bleeding from their noses and mouths portion being fixed CPR, witnesses said, portion others clad successful Halloween costumes continued to sing and creation nearby, perchance without knowing the severity of the situation.
"I inactive can't judge what has happened. It was similar a hell," said Kim Mi Sung, an authoritative astatine a non-profit enactment that promotes tourism successful Itaewon.
Kim said she performed CPR connected 10 radical who were unconscious and 9 of them were declared dormant connected the spot. Kim said the 10 were mostly women wearing witch outfits and different Halloween costumes.
The assemblage surge is the country's worst catastrophe successful years. As of Sunday evening, officials enactment the decease toll astatine 153 and the fig of injured radical astatine 133. The Ministry of the Interior and Safety said the decease number could further emergence arsenic 37 of the injured radical were successful superior conditions.
Ninety-seven of the dormant were women and 56 were men. More than 80% of the dormant are successful their 20s and 30s, but astatine slightest 4 were teenagers.
At slightest 20 of the dormant are foreigners from China, Russia, Iran and elsewhere. Two Americans were among the dead, the U.S. State Department said. President Biden tweeted that helium and archetypal woman Jill Biden are "devastated to larn that astatine slightest 2 Americans are among truthful galore who mislaid their lives successful Seoul. Our hearts spell retired to their loved ones successful this clip of grief, and we proceed to commune for the betterment of each who were injured."
A antheral pays tribute adjacent the country of the stampede during Halloween festivities, successful Seoul, South Korea, connected Oct. 30, 2022.
KIM HONG-JI / REUTERS
An estimated 100,000 radical had gathered successful Itaewon for the country's biggest outdoor Halloween festivities since the pandemic began. The South Korean authorities eased COVID-19 restrictions successful caller months.
While Halloween isn't a accepted vacation successful South Korea, wherever children seldom spell trick-or-treating, it's inactive a large attraction for young adults, and costume parties astatine bars and clubs person go hugely fashionable successful caller years.
Itaewon, adjacent wherever the erstwhile office of U.S. subject forces successful South Korea operated earlier moving retired of the superior successful 2018, is an expat-friendly territory known for its trendy bars, clubs and restaurants and it's the city's marquee Halloween destination.
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declared a one-week nationalist mourning play connected Sunday and ordered flags astatine authorities buildings and nationalist offices to alert astatine half-staff. During a televised speech, Yoon said supporting the families of the victims, including their ceremonial preparations, and the attraction of the injured would beryllium a apical precedence for his government.
He besides called for officials to thoroughly analyse the origin of the mishap and reappraisal the information of different ample taste and amusement events to guarantee they proceed safely.
"This is truly devastating. The calamity and catastrophe that request not person happened took spot successful the bosom of Seoul amid Halloween (celebrations)," Yoon said during the speech. "I consciousness dense hearted and cannot incorporate my sadness arsenic a president liable for the people's lives and safety."
After the speech, Yoon visited the Itaewon alley wherever the catastrophe occurred. Local TV footage showed Yoon inspecting the alley filled with trash and being briefed by exigency officials.
It was not instantly wide what led the assemblage to surge into the constrictive downhill alley adjacent the Hamilton Hotel, a large enactment spot successful Seoul. One subsister said galore radical fell and toppled 1 different "like dominos" aft they were pushed by others. The survivor, surnamed Kim, said they were trapped for astir an hr and a fractional earlier being rescued, arsenic immoderate radical shouted "Help me!" and others were abbreviated of breath, according to the Seoul-based Hankyoreh newspaper.
Police officers basal defender down a cordons successful the Itaewon territory of Seoul, South Korea, connected Sunday, Oct. 30, 2022.
SeongJoon Cho/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Another survivor, Lee Chang-kyu, said helium saw astir 5 oregon six men propulsion others earlier 1 oregon 2 began falling, according to the newspaper.
In an interrogation with quality transmission YTN, Hwang Min-hyeok, a visitant to Itaewon, said it was shocking to spot rows of bodies adjacent the hotel. He said exigency workers were initially overwhelmed, leaving pedestrians struggling to administer CPR to the injured lying connected the streets. People wailed beside the bodies of their friends, helium said.
Another subsister successful his 20s said helium avoided being trampled by managing to get into a barroom whose doorway was unfastened successful the alley, Yonhap quality bureau reported. A pistillate successful her 20s surnamed Park told Yonhap that she and others were lasting on the broadside of the alley portion others caught successful the mediate of the alley had nary escape.
Choi, the occurrence section chief, said that bodies were being sent to hospitals oregon a gym, wherever bereaved household members could place them. He said astir of the dormant and injured are successful their 20s.
"Horrific quality from Seoul tonight," British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak tweeted. "All our thoughts are with those presently responding and each South Koreans astatine this precise distressing time."
Jake Sullivan, the U.S. nationalist information adviser, tweeted that reports of the catastrophe were "heartbreaking" and said Washington "stands acceptable to supply the Republic of Korea with immoderate enactment it needs."
The past South Korean catastrophe this deadly besides deed young radical the hardest. In April 2014, 304 people, mostly precocious schoolhouse students, died successful a ferry sinking. The sinking exposed lax information rules and regulatory failures. It was partially blamed connected excessive and poorly fastened cargo and a unit poorly trained for exigency situations. Saturday's deaths volition apt gully nationalist scrutiny of what authorities officials person done to amended nationalist information standards since the ferry disaster.
It was besides Asia's 2nd large crushing catastrophe successful a month. On Oct. 1, constabulary successful Indonesia fired teardrop state astatine a shot match, causing a crush that killed 132 radical arsenic spectators attempted to flee.
More than 1,700 effect unit from crossed the state were deployed to the streets to assistance the wounded, including astir 520 firefighters, 1,100 constabulary officers and 70 authorities workers. The National Fire Agency separately said successful a connection that officials were inactive trying to find the nonstop fig of exigency patients.
This was the deadliest crushing catastrophe successful South Korean history. In 2005, 11 radical were killed and astir 60 others were injured astatine a popular performance successful the confederate metropolis of Sangju.
In 1960, 31 radical died aft being crushed connected the stairs of a bid presumption arsenic ample crowds rushed to committee a bid during the Lunar New Year holidays.
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