On Oct. 29, thousands of people gathered in Itaewon to celebrate Halloween, causing over 150 people to tragically die from a crowd crush. Itaewon, located in Seoul, is best known for its nightlife. With tight alleyways and approximately 100,000 people coming to celebrate, many were stuck waiting in large crowds of people. A crowd crush occurs when a crowd of people is tightly compacted, and one slight push or misstep causes a domino effect. Due to the density and waves of movement, people usually cannot control their movements and can be swept up or fall. Once people start falling, others begin to fall as well, leading to people stacking on top of each other.
Waves of pushing can be seen in videos taken by attendees causing people to fall and stack on top of each other. In the alleyway where it occurred, a visible downward slope is seen, which may explain how the crowd crush escalated so quickly. With over 150 people dead and more than 150 people injured, cardiac arrest and asphyxiation are suspected to be the causes, as the weight of so many people compacting together caused people to stop breathing. People collapsed and fell, causing a wave of people to fall on top of each other, escalating the situation.
Police received emergency calls from people inside the crowd beginning hours before the crowd crush occurred. People recorded and live-streamed the disaster and spread it all over social media. Videos of people stacked on top of each other and first responders desperately performing CPR flooded the internet. Many are questioning local officials about why more crowd control efforts were not dispatched after anticipating over 100,000 people to attend the festivities. Investigations have been launched to find out why this disaster wasn’t prevented.
What To Do if Trapped in a Crowd Crush
When trapped in such a dense crowd that begins moving uncontrollably, people tend to panic, either pushing forward or trying to stop the masses themselves.
- It would be best if you did not try to fight back or push; instead, move with the crowd.
- You should also try to “stand like a boxer” with your arms in front of your chest and one leg in front of the other, hopefully relieving some of the pressure and giving yourself a little extra room to breathe.
- Do not attempt to bend down for any reason, as you may get stuck and trampled.
- Lift your head and conserve your air. Do not scream.
- If you fall, attempt to lay on your side to protect your heart and lungs.
- If possible, exit through the sides of the crowd. Do not try to push through it or fight against the current.
Large crowds can turn deadly fast. Be aware of your surroundings and any exits in case of an emergency. If a crowd is getting dense and you’re having trouble breathing, exit calmly and immediately. Alert the authorities of your concerns. Before heading to a crowded event, do your research and examine the exits and organization when entering the event. Come up with a mental evacuation plan in case of emergencies. Please stay safe and protect yourself from something like this happening to you.
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