A log of emergency calls confirmed authorities had been sluggish to reply. (File)

Seoul:

South Korean Prime Minister Han Duck-soo vowed on Wednesday to carry police accountable for Seoul’s lethal Halloween crowd surge, after a log of emergency calls confirmed authorities had been sluggish to reply.

The crush within the slim alleyways of the Itaewon leisure district on Saturday killed 156 folks, principally costumed younger party-goers searching for an evening of post-pandemic enjoyable.

The first emergency name was made at 6:34 pm, a nervous caller warning that police wanted to manage the group earlier than the crush of individuals turned lethal.

What follows is a condensed transcript, obtained by AFP, of a few dozen of these more and more determined calls to police:

6:34 pm (0934 GMT)

“This is getting really nervous with people coming up and down this alleyway. People can’t walk down here but people keep coming up. I feel like people are going to get crushed to death. I barely got out of it. I think you need to control the situation.”

8:09 pm

“There are too many people here being pushed, trampled, hurt. It’s chaotic. You need to control this.”

8:33 pm

“People are trampled on the streets here. This is getting dangerous … There’s no control and a three-way road is all blocked. I have a video shot. Can I send it to you?

8:53 pm

“People are virtually getting crushed to loss of life … There are too many individuals … This isn’t a prank name.”

9:00 pm

“Situation right here is on the verge of falling into a serious accident with too many individuals. You want to come back to place it underneath management.”

9:02 pm

“People are being pushed arduous right here and everyone seems to be in panic … Please do one thing about making area right here. I feel persons are going to die right here.”

9:07 pm

“I’m on the danger of being crushed to loss of life with so many individuals right here … I please ask you to direct one-way site visitors right here.”

9:10 pm

“Situation right here is basically critical. People contained in the alley are getting pressed so arduous … This isn’t just a retailer space. The complete alley is (in peril).”

“I bought it. We will deploy policemen there,” a police responder told the caller.

9:51 pm

“There are too many individuals right here. Can you come out right here as quickly as attainable for crowd management?”

10:11 pm

“It appears like persons are getting crushed to loss of life there … complete mayhem.”

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)