SEOUL, South Korea — As morning arrived in Seoul’s Itaewon neighborhood, quiet prevailed on the scene of the tragedy the place at the least 153 individuals died on what ought to have been an evening of Halloween revelry.
Some sat shocked on the sidewalk, nonetheless making an attempt to course of the evening’s occasions, whereas teams of stragglers nonetheless in costume wandered down streets as police blocked off the entrances to the alleys. Emergency automobiles stood idle.
“How may this occur?” Lee Da-eum, 25, requested NBC Information.
She mentioned she had been in a close-by membership when she heard that there had been an accident exterior. “Then my mother began calling and texting after she noticed the information,” she mentioned. “She knew I used to be coming right here and was so frightened.”
She mentioned she had observed the world was getting overcrowded despite the fact that she had arrived early for the evening’s celebrations.
Lee was one of many fortunate ones.
What we all know in regards to the lethal incident in Seoul
- A minimum of 153 individuals had been killed and 103 injured, officers mentioned.
- Two Americans had been among the many useless, a spokesperson for the U.S. Embassy in Seoul confirmed to NBC Information.
- Of the injured, 23 are in vital situation, whereas 79 have much less extreme accidents.
- Survivors reported individuals within the packed crowd falling over each other and getting trampled as they had been pushed down slender alleys within the widespread nightlife district.
- Each well being care staff and bystanders administered CPR to individuals on the streets, and officers mentioned all out there emergency staff within the metropolis had been mobilized.
Over the course of Sunday the loss of life toll continued to rise. The Yongsan fireplace division mentioned in an replace that 153 individuals had been killed and 103 injured in crowd surge Saturday evening as 1000’s turned out for Halloween festivities within the widespread nightlife district.
Two Americans had been among the many useless, a spokesperson for the U.S. Embassy in Seoul confirmed to NBC Information Sunday. “Our workers in Seoul and colleagues in america are working tirelessly to offer consular help to the victims of final evening’s incident and their households,” the spokesperson mentioned.
The embassy didn’t present any particulars in regards to the victims, resembling their age or id.
The Yongsan fireplace division mentioned in a press release that the opposite international victims got here from China, Iran, France, Vietnam, Uzbekistan, Norway, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Austria and Kazakhstan. Of the injured, 23 are in vital situation, whereas 79 have much less extreme accidents. Many of the victims had been individuals of their late teenagers and 20s, mentioned Choi Seong-beom, chief of Seoul’s Yongsan fireplace division.
A minimum of 90% of the victims had been recognized by noon Sunday; there have been delays in figuring out some international nationals and youngsters below the age of 17 who didn’t but have identification playing cards, South Korea’s Inside Ministry mentioned in a press release.
Whereas Halloween is just not a conventional vacation in South Korea, Itaewon is thought for its costume events at bars and golf equipment, which have soared in reputation lately.
Benedict Manlapaz, 23, mentioned he was unaware of the size of the tragedy as he walked by the crowds, nevertheless it turned clear as he witnessed the emergency companies arriving in massive numbers from a espresso store the place he was hanging out together with his mates.
He mentioned that he noticed “our bodies lined up subsequent to one another, all lined in blue luggage.”
As involved relations rushed to hospitals in quest of their family members, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol declared an indefinite interval of nationwide mourning in a televised tackle on Sunday.
“The sorrow is an excessive amount of to bear,” he mentioned. “We’ll essentially tackle the basis of the trigger and guarantee that such accidents are by no means repeated,” he mentioned, calling for a radical investigation.
Prime Minister Han Duk-soo later mentioned the interval of mourning would run till Nov. 5.
The final main tragedy in South Korea additionally hit younger individuals. In April 2014, greater than 300 individuals, principally highschool college students, died when a ferry sank in Seoul.
Stella Kim and Thomas Maresca reported from South Korea. Mithil Aggarwal reported from Hong Kong.
Related Press and Reuters contributed.
