China News Service Seoul, October 30 (Reporter Liu Xu) On the evening of the 29th local time, a serious stampede occurred in Itaewon, Yongsan District, Seoul, South Korea, South Korea, which has caused more than 200 casualties.
casualties are the largest in South Korea's stampede accidents
As of the afternoon of the 30th, the South Korean fire department counted that the accident had caused at least 153 deaths, 103 injuries, and a total of 256 casualties. Among the dead, 97 were women and 56 were men. 24 of the injured were seriously injured, and the death toll is expected to increase further.
South Korean media said that the scale of casualties in the accident was the largest in South Korea's stampede accident, and it was also the most casualties in South Korea after the "Sewol" shipwreck that killed 304 people in 2014.
On the evening of October 29th local time, a large-scale stampede occurred in Itaewon, Yongsan District, Seoul, South Korea. As of now, the stampede in Itaewon, Seoul has caused hundreds of casualties. The picture shows staff handling information on the site of Hannam-dong Resident Center in Seoul on October 30, local time, and relatives of missing persons in the accident were waiting here. Wan Jiaxin Photo
Experts who rushed to the scene of the accident attributed the deaths of most victims to traumatic cardiac arrest caused by suffocation. Yonhap News Agency reported that Hong Ji-jung, a professor of emergency medicine at Seoul University Affiliated Hospital who was present to treat the wounded, said that because it was a large-scale crowd stampede accident, many people had already suffocated to death when they started to save people, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation was ineffective. Song Qingjun, a professor of emergency medicine at the School of Medicine of Seoul University, also pointed out that when the ambulance staff arrived, most of the injured had stopped their heartbeat, indicating that they were pressed under the crowd of people and were under pressure, their lungs could not expand, and they died of respiratory failure.
4 Chinese citizens have been killed
China News Service reporter confirmed to the Chinese Embassy in South Korea on the 30th that as of the time of publication, four Chinese citizens have been killed in the accident and two other Chinese citizens have been slightly injured. It is reported that the Chinese Embassy in South Korea is communicating with the South Korean police and other relevant departments and closely monitors the request for help from Chinese citizens. If there is any latest news, it will be released in a timely manner.
Chinese Ambassador to South Korea Xing Haiming sent a letter of condolences to South Korean Foreign Minister Park Zhen regarding the stampede in Itaewon that day. Xing Haiming said that a stampede occurred in Itaewon, Seoul on the evening of October 29, causing major casualties. On behalf of the Chinese Embassy in South Korea, I would like to express my deep condolences to the victims and extend my sincere condolences to the families of the victims and the injured. The accident caused unfortunate casualties of several Chinese citizens. The Chinese Embassy in South Korea is willing to work with South Korea to do a good job in the aftermath of the accident.
South Korea sets a 7-day national mourning period
South Korean President Yoon Seo-yeol html delivered a speech to the people on the 230th, praying for the victims' blessings, wishing the injured a speedy recovery, and expressing deep condolences to the families who have lost their loved ones. Yoon Seo-yue said that the investigation and aftermath of the incident will be the focus of the current work, and countermeasures will be formulated to fundamentally prevent the recurrence of similar tragedies like , and pointed out that the government will provide funeral subsidies to the victims' families and mobilize all medical resources to treat the injured. Government staff will provide assistance to the families of the victims in a one-on-one manner.
South Korean Prime Minister Han De-soo held a press conference in the government's Seoul building that day, announcing that it would be the "national mourning period" from October 30 to November 5, and the Yongsan area where the accident occurred was designated as a "special disaster area". During the national mourning period, South Korean government agencies and residences abroad will lower the flag to express their condolences. The families of victims in special disaster areas will receive help from pensions, funeral money, etc., and the injured will receive help from subsidies and other help. Han Dezhu also asked all government departments and local autonomous groups to postpone non-emergency activities as much as possible, and to ensure safety first when it is held.
Seoul Mayor Wu Sehun , who went on a business trip to Europe a few days ago, also stopped all trips and returned to South Korea urgently on the same day. On the afternoon of the 30th, he went to the scene of the accident and heard a report on the aftermath of the accident.
In addition, from the 31st, Seoul City and Itaewon District will set up a joint incense burning station in Seoul Plaza and Itaewon Plaza respectively to mourn the victims. (End)
Source: China News Network
