Seoul has witnessed one of the harshest moments in its history, a stampede that took place in a tight street of the city. From the recent updates by the officials of Seoul, no less than 151 people were killed in this compression.
The situation is still critical, and the counting is still going on for the injured victims.
It’s been reported that people gathered in the Itaewon neighborhood to celebrate the festivities of Halloween when all of this incident took place. It was a nightlife area where people approached into a very tight ally, leaving many of them suffocating.
Further, the officials have said that there were foreign nationals as well among the dead. At least 19 foreign nationals belonging to China, Uzbekistan, Norway, and Iran were part of this unfortunate fate.
So far, the investigation is in process, and the cause of the incident isn’t clear yet. As per the witnesses, the partygoers were jam-packed in the ally, and the struggle was clear even before the surge started. Many social media footages show the scenario described by the witnesses.
#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
This incident has engrossed fear in the people of the country. This kind of celebration took place in Seoul after three years. Any such programs were not authorized for a long time due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The survivors of this stampede are still searching for their companions who are missing in this incident. The hospitals in the nearby areas have also been alerted about the incident, and according to reports, a large number of people are coming to the hospital to inquire about their relatives.
The South Korean government is doing its best to help the families of those affected by the crowd surge at Seoul’s Halloween festivities. Prime Minister Han Duck-soo announced on Sunday that they would be providing support and a fund.
In response to the tragedy, Korean Prime Minister Han Hye Jin said that the South Korean government would operate a “funeral support team and respond fully to the treatment of the injured” as well as provide psychological treatment for the families and those who have been injured.
In light of the Korean national mourning period from October 30 to November 5, all public institutions and diplomatic offices will fly flags at half-staff, and all non-urgent events and meetings will be postponed.
Throughout the mourning period, civil servants and employees at public institutions will wear ribbons to express their condolences.
This incident occurred only a few weeks after the incident at Kanjuruhan Stadium in East Java, Indonesia. Almost 131 people were killed in this tragic incident where the fans of two of the most popular teams clashed.
In the Indonesian incident, the investigators blamed the police for the deaths as they used tear gas to control the crowd.
Nevertheless, the officials of Seoul and disaster management teams are working in coordination to take the situation under control, and we hope that no more casualties get reported.
