The Street of Halloween Tragedy in Seoul 2:34
(CNN) — Almost every weekend, the narrow streets of Itaewon, the neon-lit nightlife district in South Korea’s capital Seoul, fill with partygoers and tourists. Today it is the scene of one of the country’s worst disasters.
On Saturday night, tens of thousands of people flocked to the central Seoul area to celebrate Halloween, but as the crowds swelled, panic broke out, with some witnesses saying it was difficult to breathe and impossible to move.
At least 156 people were killed and dozens others injured in the crush, according to the country’s Interior and Security Ministry. According to the authorities, 20 foreigners were among the dead. The ministry said it could not check nationalities.
This is an alley of tragedy in South Korea 1:40
Authorities have launched an urgent investigation to find out how what was supposed to be a celebration night went so horribly wrong, while families across the country mourn and search for their missing loved ones.
We know that so far.
Why was the rush so big?
Itaewon has long been a popular place to celebrate Halloween as the holiday has grown in popularity in Asia in recent years. Some even fly to Seoul from other countries in the region for the celebrations.
But for the past two years, the celebrations have been impacted by pandemic restrictions on crowds and mask orders.
Halloween rush leaves at least 154 dead 2:59
Saturday night marked the first Halloween since the country lifted those restrictions, giving it special meaning for many enthusiastic attendees in Seoul, as well as international visitors, including foreign residents and tourists.
Hotels and ticketed events in the district had been booked well in advance and a large turn was expected.
What happened?
Witnesses told CNN that there was little or no crowd control before the crowd turned deadly.
Videos and photos posted to social media show people huddled shoulder to shoulder in the narrow street.
A man commemorates the victims of the Halloween rush in Seoul, South Korea. (Photo by Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images)
Crowds are not uncommon in this area, even for Seoul residents who are used to crowded subways and streets in a city of nearly 10 million people.
A witness said it took a while for people to realize something was wrong, with people’s screams of panic competing with loud music from surrounding clubs and bars.
After the first 911 calls came in around 10:24 p.m., authorities rushed to the scene, but the sheer volume of people made it difficult to reach those who needed help.
Videos posted on social media showed people giving chest compressions to fellow partygoers who were lying on the floor while they awaited medical attention.
The thousands of people dressed up for Halloween added to the general feeling of confusion and chaos. A witness described seeing a police officer screaming during the disaster, but some revelers mistook him for another partygoer.
The cause of the collision is still under investigation, although authorities said there were no gas leaks or fires at the scene.
According to authorities, the Halloween incident in Seoul was caused by a stampede at 4:51 a.m
Who were the victims?
Authorities said the victims were young, mostly in their teens and 20s. Known for its nightlife and trendy restaurants, Itaewon is popular with backpackers and international students.
According to the authorities, 19 were foreigners among the 151 dead, including some from the United States, Iran, Norway, China, Thailand and Uzbekistan.
A woman cries in front of the memorial altar for the victims of the Halloween rush in Seoul, South Korea. (Photo: Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images)
More than 90 percent of the victims have been identified, South Korea’s Interior and Security Minister Lee Sang-min said on Sunday.
He added that about 10 people cannot be identified because some are under 17, too young to have a national identity card, and others are foreign nationals.
As of 2 p.m. local time on Sunday, Seoul authorities had received 3,580 missing persons reports, according to the city government. This number could contain multiple reports for the same person or reports filed on Saturday night for people who have since been found.
What was the official answer?
Home and Security Minister Lee Sang-min said Sunday that “a significant number” of police and security forces were dispatched to another part of Seoul on Saturday in response to protests expected there.
In Itaewon, on the other hand, the rush was not unusually large, so that only a “normal” number of security forces were deployed there.
As the disaster unfolded on Saturday night, more than 1,700 responders were dispatched, including more than 500 firefighters, 1,100 police officers and around 70 government employees.
Emergency services treat injured people in Seoul on October 30.
President Yoon Suk Yeol called an emergency meeting and urged officials to identify the dead as soon as possible.
But even hours later, families were still waiting to know if their loved ones had survived.
Immediately afterwards, many people were taken to nearby facilities, while the bodies were taken to hospital morgues. Families gathered at locations near the crime scene, where officers collected the names of the missing and deceased.
Yoon vowed to take new measures to prevent similar incidents from happening again, saying the government will “carry out emergency inspections not only for Halloween events but also for local festivals and will thoroughly manage them to ensure they are organized in an orderly and safe manner.” manner be carried out”. .
The government will also provide psychological treatment and a fund for the families of the dead and injured. Authorities have declared a period of national mourning until November 5 and designated Yongsan-gu District, where Itaewon is located, as a Special Disaster Area.
questions that are asked
As a stunned and grieved nation grapples with the tragedy, it also raises questions about how such a disaster might have unfolded in a popular area where people are known to congregate.
It’s hard to determine what might have triggered the rush, but authorities “would have expected big numbers … before Saturday night,” said Juliette Kayyem, a disaster management expert and national security analyst for CNN.
“Authorities have a responsibility to monitor crowd volume in real time so they feel the need to get people out,” he added.
A man pays tribute to those who died in the Halloween crush on October 29, 2022 in Seoul’s Itaewon district. Credit: ANTHONY WALLACE/AFP via Getty Images
Suah Cho, 23, was caught by the crowd but managed to flee to a building along the alley. When asked if he saw any officers trying to limit the number of people in the alley, he replied, “Not at all before the incident.”
Another eyewitness described the situation as “getting worse and worse.” He said he could “ask people for help for other people because there weren’t enough rescuers who could handle it all”.