11 die in Zimbabwe church stampede: police

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 on 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."

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