Saudi Arabia’s civil defense directorate has said not less than 220 people have died following a stampede in Mecca.
Officials said that the stampede which took place on Thursday, September 24, left no fewer than 400 others injured.
The stampede occurred in Mina, on the outskirts of the holy city of Mecca when over 2 million pilgrims observing the annual Hajj pilgrimage, who spent the night in the plain fields of Muzdalifa, began trooping to the Jamarat as early as 3am local time.
There are speculations that the stampede took place during the “stoning of the devil ritual.”
Al Jazeera’s Omar Alsaleh,who is on ground said: “This is only the initial number … The Hajj season was already overshadowed by the crane accident that killed 107 people and wounded more than 200,” Alsaleh said.
“The area has turned to a big massive construction site to allow more pilgrims to visit Mecca during Hajj.”
As of the time of filing this report, aid workers were still conveying the injured and the deceased pilgrims to hospitals close to Mina.
It is recalled that the Hajj season has already been marred by an unfortunate crane accident in which dozens were killed and scores severely injured.
At least 6 Nigerians were involved in the Saudi crane incident at the Holy Mosque, Ka’aba in Mecca, Saudi Arabia on Friday, September 11.
Ahmed Umar, Nigeria’s consul-general to Saudi Arabia said the dead pilgrims were buried in a “specially designated cemetery’’ in Mecca.
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