Shanghai New Year stampede kills 36   

上海外滩踩踏事故致36死47伤 13人未脱离生命危险

The death toll of a fatal stampede during New Year celebrations late Wednesday in Shanghai rose to 36 as of Thursday afternoon, local authorities said.

Seven injured have checked out of hospital. Among the 40 injured being treated in local hosptals, 13 are suffering from serious injuries, the municipal government said.

The tragedy happened at a crowded square in Shanghai's gleaming Bund area at around 11:35 p.m. There were 25 women among the deceased whose ages ranged from 16 to 36, said the authorities of Shanghai, a metropolis that is home to a population of over 23 million.

Most of the injured are young people in their twenties, a majority of them women. There were also college students and children, medical sources told Xinhua.

Police are investigating the cause of the stampede.

The Bund, a stretch of riverbank on the west side of the Huangpu River in Shanghai, is a popular destination for New Year celebrations, with its historical architecture and skyscrapers along the river displaying dazzling light shows at night.

HELLISH SCENE

Survivors described the stampede as "horrific and hellish."

Some said they were standing on the steps adjoining the major road and the sightseeing platform when the deadly incident happened.

"The steps leading to the platform were full of people. Some wanted to get down and some wanted to go up," said a witness who gave her surname as Yin. "We were caught in the middle and saw some girls falling while screaming. Then people started to fall down, row by row."

The woman said she covered two kids in front of her with her arms in the chaos. Her son followed her.

"When we brought him out of the crowd, his forehead was bruised, he had two deep creased scars on his neck, and his mouth and nose were bleeding," said the mother.

(Updated)

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