The toll of people who died in the crowd that developed in Itaewon , Seoul's nightlife district, on the occasion of the evening dedicated to Halloween, rises hour by hour. The latest report from the South Korean government speaks of 153 victims including 22 foreign students from Iran, Uzbekistan, China (at least one victim according to the embassy in Seoul) and Norway, some are in serious condition.

Seven days of national mourning have been declared in the country , from today until next Saturday: the flags of government buildings and public offices will wave at half mast as a sign of condolence. In addition, most of the events scheduled for the party have been canceled.

The bodies of the victims were transferred to a gymnasium not far from the site of the tragedy and to local hospitals for the necessary identification.

At the moment it is not clear what exactly happened : a parade was in progress when a stampede broke out and many of the spectators were crushed by those who ran away in panic.

(Unioneonline / ss)