German chancellor shocked by deadly stampede

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Saturday that she was appalled by the deaths and injuries of the mass panic at the Love Parade in the western German city of Duisburg, one of Europe's largest electronic music events.

"In this difficult time I express my sympathy and sorrow for the families of the victims ... I am appalled and saddened by the suffering and pain," said Merkel in a statement.

At least 15 were killed and 45 others seriously injured on Saturday when people were blocked in a mass panic inside a tunnel in Duisburg leading to the site of the Love Parade, local police said.

The panic broke out after authorities tried to prevent thousands of people from getting into the event site due to over- crowding.

Organizers said that over one million music fans attended the event on Saturday.

The Love Parade is one of Europe's largest electronic music festivals, which was originally hosted in Berlin from 1989 to 2006. Other German cities began to host it afterwards.

Source: Xinhua