At least 19 foreigners, including three Chinese nationals, have been confirmed dead in a stampede at Seoul’s Itaewon district during Halloween celebrations, fire authorities said on Sunday.
The death toll from Saturday’s accident rose to 151, with 19 of them identified as foreigners, Choi Seong-beom, head of the fire department in Yongsan, said in a briefing.
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Their nationalities include those from Iran, Uzbekistan, China and Norway, Choi was quoted as saying by Yonhap news agency.
The Chinese embassy in South Korea said shortly after the stampede, it immediately activated an emergency response mechanism, contacted the South Korean side overnight to learn about the cause of the accident and the nationalities of the victims, and paid close attention to the internet and social media platforms to see if any Chinese nationals were seeking help, Xinhua news agency reported.
The Chinese embassy has offered condolences and will provide assistance to the families of the deceased.
The accident has left 151 dead and 82 injured, according to the South Korean firefighting authorities.