Hundreds of people travelled to the site of the tragedy to pay their respects (Picture: AP/Reuters)
A period of national mourning has been declared in South Korea after 154 people were killed in a stampede during Halloween celebrations.
Eyewitnesses have described the ‘actual horror’ that unfolded near the Hamilton Hotel in the Itaewon area of Seoul.
The victims – mostly aged in their teens and 20s – were crushed when the crowd surged into a narrow alley, reportedly trying to ‘see a local celebrity’.
Relatives of those at the party rushed to the city’s hospitals to search for missing family members.
Pictures showed people arriving to the site of the disaster – already being called one of South Korea’s worst – to pay tribute to those who lost their lives.
Some were seen kneeling to the ground and praying, while others were struggling to contain the tears in their eyes.
Makeshift memorials also began appearing near the site, which was last night at ‘breaking point’.
A man bows to pay tribute to victims near the scene of the deadly accident in Seoul (Picture: AP)
A woman pays leaves a bouquet of white daisies (Picture: Reuters)
Many were seen praying for those who lost their lives (Picture: Reuters)
‘This news came like a bolt from the blue sky,’ said a father who burst into tears as he collected his daughter’s body from a morgue.
President Yoon Suk-yeol declared a period of national mourning and designated the popular Itaewon district a disaster zone.
He expressed condolences to the victims and his wishes for a speedy recovery to the many injured.
‘This is truly tragic,’ he said in a statement, vowing an investigation into the cause of the disaster.
A note on a floral tribute that reads ‘I am sorry for your loss’ (Picture: Reuters)
Police remained at the scene while an investigation is underway (Picture: Getty)
‘A tragedy and disaster that should not have happened took place in the heart of Seoul last night.’
Investigations are still ongoing about what exactly happened last night, but police have identified 150 people killed, a spokesperson told CNN.
The three people yet to have their identities confirmed are all young women whose nationalities remain unclear.
Graphic videos have flooded social media overnight, showing the aftermath of the stampede.
The street in Itaewon district is pictured full of people before the stampede (Picture: Reuters)
Emergency services treat the dozens of injured people (Picture: Getty)
In many of the clips, civilians can be seen desperately trying to give CPR to people who have collapsed on the floor.
According to the country’s Interior and Safety Ministry, 26 foreign nationals died in the tragedy.
Tributes have been released for a number of the victims, while the embassies of Australia, the US, Iran, China, Norway and Uzbekistan have confirmed the deaths of nationals.
It is still unknown of any British citizens were at the scene of the disaster.
A person is wheeled off on a stretcher by medical staff (Picture: Getty)
The British Embassy in Korea has urged citizens needing help to get in touch, adding that it is ‘monitoring the situation’.
US president Joe Biden said he is ‘devastated’ to learn that at least two Americans are among the dead.
The University of Kentucky confirmed the death of one of its students, Anne Gieske, who had been studying abroad in Seoul.
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A statement on Twitter said: ‘The University of Kentucky community is grieving the tragic loss of one of our students, Anne Gieske, who was studying abroad in Seoul, South Korea, and was killed in this weekend’s tragedy.
‘We have been in contact with her family and will provide whatever support we can – now and in the days ahead – as they cope with this indescribable loss.
‘We will be there for all those in our community who knew and loved her.’
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Warning: Graphic content.
