Stampede kills 30 people in Haiti during public celebration

At least 30 people were killed on April 11 in a stampede in northern Haiti’s countryside, officials said, warning that the number of fatalities may increase.

Jean Henri Petit, head of Civil Protection for Haiti’s Nord Department, said the incident took place at the Laferriere Citadel, a historic early-19th-century fortress constructed shortly after the country gained independence from France, Caliber.Az reports, citing Reuters.

The site, one of Haiti’s most visited tourist landmarks, was crowded with students and other visitors attending the annual celebration held at the UNESCO World Heritage location, Petit noted.

Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé said in a statement that he "extends his sincere condolences to the bereaved families and assures them of his profound solidarity during this time of mourning and great suffering."

The tragedy unfolds against a backdrop of escalating gang violence across Haiti, where armed groups have carried out massacres against civilians while security forces intensify operations.

The country has also faced repeated disasters in recent years, including a 2024 fuel tank explosion that killed around two dozen people, another similar blast in 2021 that claimed 90 lives, and a major earthquake that left approximately 2,000 dead the same year.

By Jeyhun Aghazada