At least 146 people were killed in a crush when a huge crowd celebrating Halloween surged into an alley in a night life area of the South Korean capital Seoul on Saturday night, emergency officials said.
A further 150 people were injured in the melee in Seoul's Itaewon district, Choi Sung-beom, head of the Yongsan Fire Station, said in a briefing at the scene.
Many of the injured were in serious condition and receiving emergency treatment, the officials said.
It was the first Halloween event in Seoul in three years after the country lifted COVID restrictions and social distancing. Many of the party-goers were wearing masks and Halloween costumes.
23:14 GMT (+4) The number of deaths reported from a stampede in a central district of the South Korean capital Seoul has risen to 120, a fire official said, Trend reports citing Reuters.
The incident took place at about 10:20 p.m. (1320 GMT) as a large number of people fell down in a narrow alley during the Halloween events.