New Year tragedy: Stampede in Shanghai after fake money thrown to crowd

This article is more than 12 months old

Jan 01, 2015 12:24 pm

In China, New Year's celebrations turned to tragedy when 35 people were killed in a stampede in central Shanghai.

As the rest of the globe celebrated with spectacular fireworks displays in cities from Sydney to Moscow, chaos broke out in China’s financial hub as people packed the Bund district to welcome the New Year.

Another 42 people were also injured in the crush, which happened shortly before midnight, the city’s government said in a statement, adding that the incident was under investigation.

A photo on the website of the Shanghai Daily newspaper showed what appeared to be dead and injured people lying on the ground with crowds in the background.

Official news agency Xinhua cited a witness saying coupons that looked like US dollar notes were thrown from a third-floor window and revellers along the river bank started to scramble for them.

- AFP