Dozens of people were injured in a suspected mass panic in the South Korean capital Seoul tonight (local time). About 50 people reportedly suffered cardiac arrest. As the South Korean news agency Yonhap reported, emergency workers had to carry out resuscitation measures on those affected. It is also said that there were two deaths.
The incident took place as a large crowd entered a central neighborhood of the South Korean capital for Halloween celebrations, Yonhap news agency reported. What triggered the mass panic and the many cases of cardiac arrest is not completely clear.
AP/Yonhap/Lee Ji-eun
Photos and videos on social media showed how several people were treated by rescue teams and individuals at the scene of the accident. However, the authenticity of the recordings cannot be confirmed at this time.
President Yoon Suk-yeol ordered that more emergency personnel be sent to the region and that hospital beds be prepared. Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, who is currently visiting Europe, is said to have announced his immediate return, according to Yonhap.