New Years Eve crowd stampede kills 36 in Shanghai

New Year’s Eve celebrations in the Chinese city of Shanghai ended in tragedy when a crowd stampede left at least 36 people dead and nearly 50 others injured.

The tragedy occurred at Chenyi Square in Shanghai's Huangpu district just before midnight, China's Xinhua news agency reported.

Photographs posted on social media showed people lying on the street receiving first aid, including CPR, and large numbers of police circling the area.

Hundreds of thousands of people were believed to be in the area to welcome in the New Year at the time of the stampede.

Survivors have told stories of panic as too many people tried to get a view of the river, not realising that a planned light show had been moved to another location.

New Year's celebrations on the Bund in Shanghai had in fact been scaled back following years of swelling crowds.

21st July 2014 - CROWD SAFETY SEMINAR TO SHARE INTERNATIONAL BEST PRACTICE FOR SAFE EVENTS

2010 August 2010 - CROWD MANAGEMENT LESSONS FROM LOVE PARADE TRAGEDY