Authorities in Haiti say at least 30 people died on Saturday in a crush incident in rural northern Haiti, warning that the death toll could rise. Jean Henry Cétoute, head of civil protection in Haiti's northern region, confirmed that the crush occurred at Laferrière Castle, a fortress built in the early 19th century shortly after Haiti's independence from France. Cétoute added that the castle, one of Haiti's most famous tourist landmarks, was crowded on Saturday with students and visitors who had come to attend the annual celebration of this site, which is on UNESCO's World Heritage list. Prime Minister Ariel Henry said in a statement that he 'offers his sincere condolences to the families of the victims and reaffirms his deep solidarity with them in this sad time.' He added that 'many young people' were present at the castle's celebration, although the identities of the victims have not yet been known. The prime minister's statement did not give an estimated death toll. Cétoute said the crush happened at the entrance to the site, adding that rain exacerbated the disaster. Haiti has experienced a number of disasters in recent years, including a fuel tank explosion in 2024 that killed 24 people, another fuel tank explosion in 2021 that killed 90 people, and an earthquake that killed about 2,000 people in the same year.