No fewer than 146 people have been killed in a stampede that occurred at a Halloween party in Seoul, South Korea, where huge crowds gathered to celebrate the annual festival.

Emergency officials confirmed on Saturday night that the incident occurred in the melee in Seoul’s Itaewon district, Choi Sung-beom, stating that more than 140 people were crushed to death.

Reuters also reported that another 150 people are receiving treatment for various degrees of injuries ranging from minor to life threatening.

It was the first Halloween event to be held in Seoul following a three year absence due to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions.

Multiple eyewitnesses explained that the incident occurred around 10:20 p.m, after the attendees suddenly became unruly and agitated as the crowd population gradually increased.

One of the eyewitnesses, Choi, told Reuters that casualties were many and the majority of the victims were women in their twenties.

“A number of people fell during a Halloween festival, and we have a large number of casualties,” Choi said. Many of those killed were near a nightclub and many of the victims were women in their twenties.

A footage on social media showed huge crowds gathered in narrow and congested alley, and became immobile as the population deepened, while emergency officials and police officers tried to pull them free.

One woman was heard on a social media post crying out in English: “Oh my God, oh my God, Jesus fucking Christ.”

Meanwhile, authorities in the Asian country have now confirmed that investigation has commenced to determine the exact cause of the incident.

Immediately after the incident, President Yoon Suk-yeol presided over an emergency meeting with senior aides.