Death toll rises to 153 in South Korea Halloween crush

153 people lost their lives in the stampede during the Halloween celebration in Itaewon, one of the entertainment centers of Seoul, the capital of South Korea. South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol declared national mourning Sunday after Halloween, which killed 151 people in a crowded nightlife district in Seoul.

Disaster on "Halloween" in South Korea: 153 dead, 82 injured

In a stampede that broke out during the 'Halloween' celebrations in Seoul, the capital of South Korea, 153 people lost their lives and 82 people were injured, 19 of them seriously. It was determined that 22 of the dead were foreign nationals. While national mourning was declared in the country, no official statement has yet been made regarding the cause of the stampede.

In the news in the local media; It was claimed that as a result of a famous name coming to the entertainment venue in the region, the crowd flocked to that direction. Authorities are still investigating the fact what caused the disaster, however, Choi Cheon-sik, an official from South Korea's National Fire Service, said that the people in the back of the crowd pushed the crowd in a narrow street, that resulted in a disaster.

Investigation continues, but many people are still missing

Numerous families of the victims have congregated at a nearby center in Itaewon, where authorities are trying to identify bodies while compiling the names of the deceased and missing. 

The Minister of Interior and Safety, Lee Sang-min, stated that more than 90% of the deceased have been identified. He went on to say that about ten people cannot be identified because some are foreigners and under the age of 17, making them ineligible to carry a national ID card. 

However, many people are still missing, and their families are anxiously calling hospitals and going to the morgue. According to the city government, Seoul authorities had received over 3,580 reports of missing people by 2 p.m. local time on Sunday.