Publish Date: 1 November 2022 - 12:00

TEHRAN, Nov. 01 (MNA) –  The number of victims in Saturday's stampede in Seoul has risen to 156, the country’s Yonhap news agency reported on Tuesday.

A total of 26 foreigners from 14 countries, including Russia and China, are among those killed. According to the Russian embassy in Seoul, the tragedy claimed the lives of four female Russians, TASS reported.

The latest casualty reports put the number of injured at 151. Some 40 of them were admitted to hospitals, including 29 who are in critical condition.

Itaewon is known as one of Seoul's nightlife centers. Tens of thousands of young people went to the area on Saturday to celebrate Halloween as this year was the first time in three years without any pandemic-related restrictions.

The stampede began around 10:20 p.m. local time on Saturday in one of the jam-packed narrow streets just four meters wide.

This is the deadliest tragedy in South Korea since the 2014 Sewol ferry disaster that claimed the lives of 304 people, mostly schoolchildren.

RHM/PR