A stampede at the historic Laferriere Citadel in northern Haiti has left at least 30 people dead, according to authorities, who warned the toll could rise. The incident occurred on Saturday at the UNESCO World Heritage site, an early 19th-century fortress built after Haiti's independence from France.
Jean Henri Petit, head of Civil Protection for Haiti's Nord Department, said the site was crowded with students and visitors attending its annual celebration. The stampede happened at the entrance, and rain exacerbated the disaster, he added.
Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé expressed profound sorrow, offering condolences to the bereaved families and assuring them of his solidarity. He noted the presence of many young people at the festivities but did not provide an updated death toll or identify the victims.
The tragedy comes amid widespread gang violence in Haiti, which has led to civilian massacres and a deadly security crackdown. The country has also experienced other recent disasters, including a 2024 fuel tank explosion that killed two dozen people, a similar blast in 2021 that killed 90, and an earthquake the same year that left around 2,000 dead.
