At 8h30, authorities opened the barriers, allowing people to ascend Nghia Linh mountain. Since 4h, crowds from various localities had already begun gathering at the Hung Kings Temple Historical Site, steadily growing in number.

Despite continuous loudspeaker announcements from the police, people pushed and shoved, causing several individuals at the front to stumble.

A child cries as relatives guide them out of the crowd.

Other children are taken by volunteers to a more open area to wait for relatives.

The crowds at the foot of Nghia Linh mountain grew denser. Police established additional waiting points at the main gate, but these quickly filled within minutes.

While the path to the temple courtyard was packed, many people had to wait on the hillsides.

Many young children were carried on their parents' shoulders. At the temple's main gate, hundreds of exhausted individuals had to turn back, unable to continue their journey.

On the path leading to the temple, the crowd moved inch by inch, at times standing still for nearly a minute. Here, police and young volunteers stood along the edge, repeatedly reminding people not to push.

People struggled with offerings, pushing through the dense crowd.

Bui Thi Doc, 69, from Yen Thuy (formerly Hoa Binh), started at 4h with a group of 30 people. Due to the overwhelming crowd, she became separated from her group and lacked the strength to continue, having to return to the foot of Nghia Linh mountain to rest.

Many people were pushed, falling into barriers, and required assistance from medical personnel.

This morning also saw several cases of people fainting who were taken for emergency treatment, along with instances of small children getting lost in the dense crowd.

At the Ha Temple, Trung Temple, and Thuong Temple areas, people filled every pathway. Authorities continuously announced the overcrowded situation to those below.

By nearly 11h, the congestion began to ease.

According to the organizing committee's statistics, Phu Tho has welcomed approximately 4 million visitors since the beginning of the year. During the peak period, starting from the beginning of the third lunar month, the historical site received about 60,000 people daily.

Giang Huy - Gia Chinh