A government official says it is “a tragic and painful accident”

More than 80 people have been killed and hundreds injured in one of the deadliest stampedes in a decade.

In Yemen’s capital of Sana’a, hundreds of people have been injured, including women and children, during an event where financial aid was being distributed inside a school.

A government official says it is “a tragic and painful accident”.

Armed houthis had fired gunshots into the air in an attempt at crowd control, striking an electrical wire and causing it to explode.

That sparked a panic, and people began stampeding.

Hundreds of poor people gathered for the event organised by merchants, without coordination with the Ministry of Interior.

The dead and injured people were transferred to hospitals, and two merchants in charge were arrested.

It comes just days ahead of the Muslim holiday of Eid, which marks the end of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.