Around 400 pilgrims died and about a thousand others were injured in a stampede on the last day of the Hajj yesterday (thursday, the 12th of Jan 2006) when thousands were rushing to cast their last set of stones.
"So far, the number of confirmed death is 345 and the number of injured in hospital is 289," Hamad bin Abdullah al-Manei, Saudi health minister, told reporters.
The stampede took place at the foot of the bridge of Jamarat, where pilgrims hurl stones at three pillars (al-Ula pillar, al-Wusta pillar & al-Aqaba pillar) representing the spot where the devil is said to have appeared to Abraham. The stoning is the riskiest ritual of the Hajj, as worshippers jostle to try to target the stones, often causing weaker pilgrims to fall under foot. The stoning ritual, which is spread out over three days, marks the final part of the Hajj pilgrimage
Estimates are that around 2.5 million pilgrims performed Hajj this year.
Following the course of a journey made by Prophet Mohammed over 1400 years ago, pilgrims flocked to the plain of Arafat, south of Mina, on Monday (09th Jan) to pray for mercy in the central rite of the Hajj.
Before coming to Mina on Tuesday (10th Jan), many spent the night in the sacred site of Muzdalifah where they collected pebbles for the stoning ritual.
The normal foot walk turned into a stampede when groups of pilgrims, mainly from east Asia holding each other's hands in circles, stumbled. This caused a large pileup, as hundreds of other pilgrims were crushed in its impact.
The stampede occurred during sunset. Many were screaming while dozens jumped over each other. Ambulances and police cars streamed into the area, as security forces tried to move people away from the scene of the accident. With the local hospital in Mina overflowing, many victims of the crush were transported to medical facilities in Mecca and Riyadh.
There were hundreds of pilgrims who were not carrying identity cards or travel documents, and hence the nationalities of the deceased could not be verified by health authorities.
The cause of the incident, according to eyewitnesses, is that the gate to the Jamarat, a series of three pillars representing the devil that the faithful pelt with stones to purge themselves of sin, was not big enough to accommodate such a large number of pilgrims. This was despite serious Saudi attempts this time to prevent stampedes that have plagued the annual event in the past.
Pilgrims said that the main reason behind the incident was the luggage, left over food and litter scattered all over the place. Street vendors were also in large number at the gate which also caused some difficulties for people to pass through.
Lack of safety awareness among the pilgrims is the main reason behind such incident.
The latest deadly stampede comes after the January 5th collapse of a pilgrims' hotel that killed 76 people in Mecca.
PAST HAJJ DISASTER
The Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam and a once-in-a-life time duty for all Muslims physically able to undertake it.
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