Stampede in South Korea’s Seoul: Death Toll Rises to 120, President Yoon Holds Emergency Meet | Top Developments

Around 120 people died and 100 were injured after a stampede on Itaewon’s streets where a massive crowd had gathered for Halloween festivities.

Written by: Shrimansi Kaushik

Updated: October 30, 2022, 1:01 AM IST

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https://www.india.com/news/world/seoul-dozens-in-cardiac-arrest-as-crowd-gathers-on-a-narrow-street-for-halloween-festivities-5712509/ Copy

TV footage and photos showed ambulance vehicles lined up in streets amid heavy police presence. Photo: AP

Seoul: As many as 120 people were killed and 100 more were injured after being crushed amidst a large crowd that was pushing forward on a narrow street during Halloween festivities in the capital Seoul. According to Choi Seong-beom, chief of Seoul’s Yongsan fire department, said the death toll could rise and that an unspecified number among the injured were in critical conditions following the stampede in the leisure district of Itaewon Saturday night.

Video on social media showed first responders administering CPR on multiple people lying in the street. Police also confirmed that dozens of people were being given CPR on Itaewon streets while many others have been taken to nearby hospitals. As per South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency, emergency officials received at least 81 calls from people with breathing difficulty.

More than 800 emergency workers and police officers from around the nation, including all available personnel in Seoul, were deployed to the streets to treat the injured. Choi also said that 74 of the dead have been sent to hospitals and the bodies of the remaining 46 who had been kept on the streets initially were being transported to a nearby gym so that workers could identify them.

DOZENS IN CARDIAC ARREST BEING GIVEN CPR:

#BREAKING: Stampede in #Seoul, #SouthKorea left dozens with cardiac arrest during #Halloween Saturday night. Over a hundred thousand attended the celebrations.#SeoulStampede pic.twitter.com/y8AW5LCFgB

— Media Warrior (@MediaWarriorY) October 29, 2022

Choi said it was believed that people were crushed to death after a large crowd began pushing forward in a narrow alley near Hamilton Hotel, a major party spot in Seoul.

#UPDATE 120 people killed, 100 injured in Seoul Halloween crush: officials pic.twitter.com/ivweswa4Hv

— AFP News Agency (@AFP) October 29, 2022

A local police officer said he was also informed that a stampede occurred on Itaewon’s streets where a crowd of people gathered for Halloween festivities. Some local media reports earlier said the crush happened when a large number of people rushed to an Itaewon bar after hearing an unidentified celebrity visited there.

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol issued a statement calling for officials to ensure swift treatment for those injured and review the safety of the festivity sites. He also instructed the Health Ministry to swiftly deploy disaster medical assistance teams and secure beds in nearby hospital to treat the injured.

TV footage and photos showed ambulance vehicles lined up in streets amid a heavy police presence and emergency workers moving the injured in stretchers. Emergency workers and pedestrians were also seen performing CPR on people lying in the streets. In one section, paramedics were seen checking the status of a dozen or more people who lied motionless under blue blankets.