11 die in Zimbabwe church stampede: police

KWEKWE: At least 11 people have died and several others have been injured during a stampede at a church service in the Zimbabwean mining town of Kwekwe, police said Friday.

"Four people died during a crush at a stadium in Kwekwe," said police spokesman Shadreck Mubaiwa. "The other seven died on arrival at a state hospital in the town."

The tragedy occurred Thursday night at a stadium in Kwekwe, 218 kilometres southwest of the capital Harare, at an event organised by Prophet Walter Magaya, a popular Pentecostal preacher who claims to perform miracles of healing.

Mubaiwa said there was a stampede as the church service ended when thousands of worshippers pushed their way through the venue´s only exit.

"Because of the pressure, some people fell resulting in the deaths and injuries." (AFP)