More than 30 killed at DR Congo music festival stampede

More than 30 people were killed in a stampede Friday at a music festival held in tribute to a renowned Congolese singer in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo), authorities and hospitals said. Local government confirmed in a statement the accident which was caused by a blackout when two generators supplying power to the town of Kikwit failed. Dr. Mpay from a local hospital said they had received 23 bodies, and family members were coming to the hospital. Witnesses said the tragedy happened as the sudden darkness panicked audience already in the stadium who tried to rush out, and clashed with people who tried to get in. Kikwit is the hometown of the famous singer Jean Baptiste Emeneya, or King Kester Emeneya, who died in Paris in February. The festival was scheduled for three days, but the local government had cancelled the rest of the program due to the incident.