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Death toll in Mecca stampede crosses 700

India Blooms News Service | | Sep 25, 2015, at 12:48 am

#Mecca stampede # Mina tragedy # Saudi Civil Defense forces # Haj Pilgrimage # Mina pilgrims dead

Mina, Saudi Arabia, Sept 24 (IBNS): The death toll in the stampede tragedy at Mina near the Muslim holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia rose to 717 on Thursday, media reports said.

The tragedy occurred during a congregation of about two million people for performing the annual Haj pilgrimage.

Saudi Civil Defense forces have said that about 863 pilgrims have been injured in the incident.

Over one lakh Indians were among the millions at the Haj ceremony.

Two Indian have also been injured in the massacre.

"Our Mission in Jeddah continuously monitoring situation in Makkah following tragic stampede. No confirmed casualties at this point of time," tweeted External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup.

The stampede took place on Street 204 of the camp city at Mina, a few kilometres from Mecca where pilgrims from across the world stay for several days during the Haj.

The tragedy befell a day before Eid, during the stoning ceremony,during a ceremony when pilgrims "stone the devil" by throwing pebbles at three large pillars.

It was not immediately clear what had caused the stampede

Images on television and social media showed pilgrims on stretchers and emergency workers at the site.

"Work is underway to separate large groups of people and direct pilgrims to alternative routes," the Saudi Civil Defence said on its Twitter account.

This is the second major disaster at Mecca this month after 107 people were killed on September 12, when a construction crane crashed on the Grand Mosque.

The pilgrimage is one of the largest religious gatherings in the world.

In a similar disaster In January 2006, 364 pilgrims were killed in a stampede during the stoning ritual in Mina.

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