Update on Mecca stampede : Over 300 killed in Mecca stampede

At least 300 people were killed,
and 400 were injured, in a
stampede in Mina, in Saudi
Arabia, on Thursday during the
Islamic commemoration of
Jamarat, which is the “stoning
of the devil” with pebbles.
The Stoning of the Devil is a re-
enactment of a story from the
Quran involving the Prophet
Ibrahim, which takes place
during the hajj.
Some reports say 310 people
died in the stampede that
occurred as over 3 million
pilgrims observing this year’s
hajj, who spent the night in the
plain fields of Muzdalifa, began
trooping to the Jamarat as early
as 3am local time.
Saudi civil defense authorities
confirmed the deaths on
Twitter and said two medical
centres had been opened to
treat the injured.
More than 4,000 emergency
workers were sent to the scene,
and hundreds of people were
taken to four hospitals, the New
York Times reported.
The tragedy happened less than
two weeks after a large
construction crane crashed into
the Grand Mosque in Mecca,
killing at least 111 people and
injuring 394 others.
Six Nigerian pilgrims died in
that incident.
It was unclear if Nigerians died
in Thursday’s stampede.

Culled : PT