A stampede at a church gathering in Liberia’s capital, Monrovia has  killed 29 people overnight. This was confirmed by the country’s deputy information minister, Jalawah Tompo when he spoke to state radio on Thursday.

According to Tompo, the incident occurred during an all-night Christian worship event at New Kru Town, a neighbourhood on the outskirts of Monrovia.

“The doctors said 29 persons died and some are on the critical list,” Tonpo said, calling into state radio from a nearby hospital. “This is a sad day for the country.”

President George Weah, who is expected to visit the site on Thursday afternoon, declared a three-day period of national mourning and said the Liberian Red Cross and Disaster Management Agency had been called in to assist victims, his office said.