Indians killed in Haj stampede: Sushma Swaraj

Saudi Arabia’s civil defense directorate said the crush happened at around 9 a.m. local time (2 a.m. ET) after there was a “sudden rise” in the number of pilgrims traveling along a major road leading to the site of a stone-throwing ritual. Another stampede at Mina in 2004 left 244 pilgrims dead and hundreds injured.

The stampede occurred in Mina, a large valley around three miles from the holy city of Mecca.

109 people are killed and hundreds injured, including many foreigners, when a crane collapses on Mecca’s Grand Mosque after strong winds and heavy rain.

Both of the stampedes took place on Eid al-Adha the Feast of Sacrifice, the most important feast in Islam and the day of the stoning ritual.

A stampede near the Islamic holy city of Mecca on Thursday claimed the lives of at least 717 people, who were taking part in the Hajj pilgrimage.

An ambulance evacuates victims following a crush caused by large numbers of people pushing at Mina.

The stampede is the deadliest disaster that has occurred during the Hajj since 1990, when a stampede in a pedestrian tunnel led to the deaths of 1,426 pilgrims.

But the head of Iran’s Hajj organisation, Said Ohadi, told Irna that two routes to the Jamarat pillars had been inexplicably closed off by the Saudi authorities, resulting in the build-up in pilgrims.

Meanwhile, a woman pilgrim from Hyderabad, identified as Bi Bi Jaan, was killed in the stampede, SA Shukoor, special officer of Telangana State Haj Committee, said.

Kenyan Muslims umbrella body confirmed that most of the over 4,000 Kenyan Muslim pilgrims in Saudi Arabia are safe and no injuries reported so far.

The multi-story structure, known as Jamarat Bridge, is created to ease the pressure of the crowds and prevent pilgrims from being trampled.

It was the worst disaster to hit the annual haj pilgrimage in over 25 years.

1997: At least 340 pilgrims are killed in a fire at the tent city of Mina as the blaze was aided by high winds.

Two giant waves of Muslim pilgrims collided at an intersection Thursday on the outskirts of Mecca, killing at least 719 people and injuring 863.