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'Deeply shocked': Jaishankar condoles loss of lives in Seoul stampede
Till now, 151 people have died and 82 have been injured during a stampede at a Halloween event in South Korea's capital city Seoul.
Foreign minister S Jaishankar on Sunday condoled the loss of lives during a stampede at a Halloween event in South Korea's capital city Seoul. Posting a tweet, Jaishankar said India stands in solidarity with Korea during this difficult time.
“Deeply shocked at the loss of so many young lives due to the stampede in Seoul. Our condolences to the families of those who lost their dear ones. We stand in solidarity with the Republic of Korea during this difficult time,” Jaishankar tweeted.
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Leaders from across the world have expressed their condolences over the horrifying incident in Seoul.
Till now, 151 people have died and 82 have been injured at the Halloween stampede in Seoul on Saturday night, according to Yonhap news agency. The deceased include 19 foreigners from Iran, Uzbekistan, China and Norway.
An estimated 100,000 people had gathered in Itaewon for the country’s biggest outdoor Halloween festivities since the onset of the Covid pandemic. The South Korean government had recently eased Covid restrictions, giving an opportunity to people to venture out and have fun.
Most of the people at the Halloween event were in their teens or twenties. The stampede occurred as the crowd surged into a narrow alley, trapping and crushing a mass of people.
Also Read| Videos of Seoul stampede capture chaos, panic amid Halloween festivities
Emergency workers rushed to the incident site at Itaewon and were seen performing CPR on people lying in the streets.
According to witnesses, the streets were so densely clogged with people and slow-moving vehicles that it was practically impossible for emergency workers and ambulances to reach the alley to treat the injured, a report by the Associated Press said.
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declared a national mourning period on Sunday and also ordered flags at government buildings and public offices to fly at half-staff.
Addressing the country's citizens, Yeol said the top priority for his government is providing support to the victims' families including their funeral preparations and treating the injured people.
The President also called for authorities to carry out a thorough probe into the accident and review the safety of other large cultural and entertainment events.
