Dozens die in a stampede at a Halloween celebration in Seoul

More than 100 people are dead after a crowd surge at a Halloween celebration in Seoul’s Itaewon neighborhood on Saturday, local officials said. The death toll is likely to climb. At least a hundred more have also been injured in the stampede.

Several attendees reportedly suffered heart attacks during the deadly crush.

Videos shared on social media showed a huge crowd of people who were out celebrating Halloween. One video showed several people lying on the ground while others were attempting to resuscitate them.

Around 100,000 people attended Halloween festivities in the area, the BBC reported, with the event marking the first Halloween without masks since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

People were crushed in the stampede after a large crowd rushed forward in a narrow street in Seoul’s night-life district of Itaewon, near the Hamilton Hotel.

Officials said that emergency services received calls from at least 81 people who reported being short of breath. Around 21 attendees, mostly young women, were transported to nearby hospitals, while around 50 people received CPR, according to local media.

This is a developing story. Please check back soon for updates.