Tens of hundreds of individuals have been believed to have gathered in Itaewon for festivities on Saturday evening
Seoul: Involved kin raced to hospitals searching for their family members Sunday as South Korea mourned the deaths of a minimum of 151 individuals, principally of their teenagers and 20s, who received trapped and crushed after an enormous Halloween occasion crowd surged right into a slim alley in a nightlife district in Seoul.
Tens of hundreds of individuals have been believed to have gathered in Itaewon for festivities on Saturday evening.
Witnesses say the streets have been so densely clogged with individuals and slow-moving automobiles that it was virtually unattainable for emergency employees and ambulances to achieve the alley close to Hamilton Lodge, because the scenario shortly developed into one of many nation’s worst disasters in years.
Officers say the loss of life toll might develop as 19 individuals among the many 82 being handled for accidents are in important situation.
Seoul’s metropolis authorities mentioned greater than 2,000 individuals have known as a metropolis workplace in close by Hannam-dong as of noon Saturday, reporting their kin as out of contact and asking officers to verify whether or not they have been amongst these injured or lifeless after the crush.
The lifeless included 19 foreigners, mentioned Choi Seong-beom, chief of Seoul’s Yongsan hearth division. Their nationalities weren’t instantly launched.
An estimated 100,000 individuals had gathered in Itaewon for the nation’s greatest out of doors Halloween festivities because the pandemic started and strict guidelines on gatherings have been enforced.
The South Korean authorities eased COVID-19 restrictions in current months and this was the primary large likelihood to get out and occasion for a lot of younger individuals.
Whereas Halloween is not a standard vacation in South Korea, the place kids not often go trick-or-treating, it is nonetheless a significant attraction for younger adults, and costume events at bars and golf equipment have turn into vastly widespread lately.
Itaewon, close to the place the previous headquarters of US navy forces in South Korea operated earlier than transferring out of the capital in 2018, is an expat-friendly district identified for its fashionable bars, golf equipment and eating places and it is town’s marquee Halloween vacation spot.
Officers initially mentioned 150 individuals have been injured as of Sunday morning earlier than later reducing their tally. Nationwide Fireplace Company officers did not instantly clarify why the tally was decreased however mentioned emergency employees would have had a extra correct thought of the casualties as rescue operations proceeded and that among the injured would have been transformed to deaths.
It was additionally potential that a few of those that have been evenly injured had returned house in a single day and have been now not counted.
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declared a nationwide mourning interval on Sunday and ordered flags at authorities buildings and public workplaces to fly at half-staff. Throughout a televised speech, Yoon mentioned supporting the households of the victims, together with their funeral preparations, and the therapy of the injured could be a high precedence for his authorities.
He additionally known as for officers to completely examine the reason for the accident and assessment the protection of different giant cultural and leisure occasions, together with regional festivals, to make sure they proceed safely.
That is actually devastating. The tragedy and catastrophe that needn’t have occurred occurred within the coronary heart of Seoul amid Halloween (celebrations), Yoon mentioned in the course of the speech.
I really feel heavy hearted and can’t include my disappointment as a president accountable for the individuals’s lives and security.
After the speech, Yoon visited the Itaewon alley the place the catastrophe occurred. Native TV footage confirmed Yoon inspecting the alley crammed with trash and being briefed by emergency officers.
It was not instantly clear what led the group to surge into the slim downhill alley close to the Hamilton Lodge, a significant occasion spot in Seoul. One survivor mentioned many individuals fell and toppled each other like dominos after they have been pushed by others.
The survivor, surnamed Kim, mentioned they have been trapped for about an hour and a half earlier than being rescued, as some individuals shouted Assist me! and others have been in need of breath, in keeping with the Seoul-based Hankyoreh newspaper.
One other survivor, Lee Chang-kyu, mentioned he noticed about 5 or 6 males push others earlier than one or two started falling, in keeping with the newspaper.
In an interview with information channel YTN, Hwang Min-hyeok, a customer to Itaewon, mentioned it was surprising to see rows of our bodies close to the lodge. He mentioned emergency employees have been initially overwhelmed, leaving pedestrians struggling to manage CPR to the injured mendacity on the streets. Individuals wailed beside the our bodies of their pals, he mentioned.
One other survivor in his 20s mentioned he prevented being trampled by managing to get right into a bar whose door was open within the alley, Yonhap information company reported.
A girl in her 20s surnamed Park instructed Yonhap that she and others have been standing alongside the facet of the alley whereas others caught in the midst of the alley had no escape.
Choi, the hearth division chief, mentioned that our bodies have been being despatched to hospitals or a fitness center, the place bereaved members of the family might determine them. He mentioned a lot of the lifeless and injured are of their 20s.
Horrific information from Seoul tonight, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak tweeted. All our ideas are with these presently responding and all South Koreans at this very distressing time.
Jake Sullivan, the US nationwide safety adviser, tweeted that experiences of the catastrophe have been heartbreaking and mentioned Washington stands prepared to offer the Republic of Korea with any assist it wants.
The final South Korean catastrophe this lethal additionally hit younger individuals the toughest. In April 2014, 304 individuals, principally highschool college students, died in a ferry sinking. The sinking uncovered lax security guidelines and regulatory failures. It was partially blamed on extreme and poorly fixed cargo and a crew poorly educated for emergency conditions.
Saturday’s deaths will seemingly draw public scrutiny of what authorities officers have finished to enhance public security requirements because the ferry catastrophe.
It was additionally Asia’s second main crushing catastrophe in a month. On October 1, police in Indonesia fired tear gasoline at a soccer match, inflicting a crush that killed 132 individuals as spectators tried to flee.
Greater than 1,700 response personnel from throughout the nation have been deployed to the streets to assist the wounded, together with about 520 firefighters, 1,100 cops and 70 authorities employees.
The Nationwide Fireplace Company individually mentioned in a press release that officers have been nonetheless making an attempt to find out the precise variety of emergency sufferers.
This was the deadliest crushing catastrophe in South Korean historical past. In 2005, 11 individuals have been killed and round 60 others have been injured at a pop live performance within the southern metropolis of Sangju.
In 1960, 31 individuals died after being crushed on the steps of a practice station as giant crowds rushed to board a practice in the course of the Lunar New 12 months holidays.
end-of