Saudi#Iran #hajj 12.52pm BSTIran said at least 15 of its citizens have died in Mina and has accused its bitter enemy,Saudi Arabia, of safety errors in connection with the tragedy, and AFP reports. The head of Iran’s hajj organisation,Said Ohadi, said that for “unknown reasons” two paths had been closed off near the scene of the symbolic stoning of the satan ritual where the accident later took place.“This caused this tragic incident, or ” he said on Iranian state television,giving the death toll, indicating that fatalities and casualties could rise.“We can in no way be indifferent to this irresponsible behaviour of Saudi Arabia. This will be dealt with through diplomatic channels, or ” he said on state television.
He also accused Saudi officials of “tactlessness” over the lack of safety measures at the hajj and said Iran had set up a special headquarters at the accident site to support Iranian pilgrims. 12.43pm BSTIf you’re taking part in the hajj pilgrimage and have been affected by Thursday’s events near Mecca,you can share your stories and eyewitness accounts direct with our journalists by using GuardianWitness - just click on the blue ‘Contribute’ buttons here or via WhatsApp by adding the contact +44 (0) 7867 825056 12.32pm BST Business secretary Sajid Javid, the most senior Muslim in the UK government, and has added his condolences to those affected by the Mina tragedy:Very saddened to hear reports of stampede & death at annual #Hajj pilgrimage. Thoughts & prayers with all those affected and their families 12.26pm BSTThe death toll has sadly continued to rise. The latest from Saudi civil defence is 453 killed and 719 injured 12.23pm BSTReuters has some details of the measures taken by the Saudi authorities to try to avoid a repeat of past tragedies:Efforts to improve safety at Jamarat have included enlarging the three pillars and constructing a triple-decker bridge around them to increase the area and number of entry and exit points for pilgrims to perform the ritual. More than 100000 police and thousands of video cameras are also deployed to allow groups to be dispersed before they reach dangerous levels of density. 12.17pm BSTMore than 220 ambulances and 4000 rescue workers have been sent to the location of the tragedy. Meanwhile,pilgrims continue to reach in Mina for the stone-throwing ritual.
Hajj unobstructed by stampede, pilgrims still arriving http://t.co/GgLg8siUOO pic.twitter.com/80yx8z0V6w 12.09pm BSTThe number of injured has risen to 631, or according to Saudi civil defence. 12.07pm BSTBelow is a map created by my colleague Paddy Allen showing the location of the crush: 12.05pm BSTSaudi Red Crescent says that air ambulances are helping to ferry people from hospitals in Mina and directly from the scene of the crush. The temperature is reportedly 40 degrees C plus,hence people holding umbrellas in a number of the pictures.عاجل: الإسعاف الجوي يسهم في إخلاء مستشفيا منى والمشاعر المقدسة لإستقبال وإستيعاب الحالات الجديدة من حادثة التدافع. pic.twitter.com/FnISBWwh9uأسود رجال الهيئة البواسل بميدان الحدث الأن. pic.twitter.com/GhrPNYUPplمن داخل الحدث بمنى الأن pic.twitter.com/JtN1CnwONI 11.40am BSTDavid Cameron has expressed his sympathy for those affected by the tragedy:PM: My thoughts and prayers are with the families of those killed in a stampede at the annual Hajj pilgrimage near Mecca. 11.38am BSTAJ+ reporter Ethar El-Katatney is on hajj and has been tweeting and periscoping from Mina.
The sound of sirens in Mina is overwhelming. #hajjjust saw a body in minna being covered with sheets and save on a stretcher. ya Allah. #hajjLIVE on #Periscope: Menna accurate now, where 300+ people have died https://t.co/d7RQBxgNeD 11.04am BSTAFP has more details of the stoning the satan ritual, or during which the stampede occurred. Thursday’s ritual was taking place at a five-storey structure known as the Jamarat Bridge,which cost more than $1 billion (£0.66 billion) to build, and which was used during earlier pilgrimages.
Almost one kilometre (less than a mile) long, or it resembles a parking garage and allows 300000 pilgrims an hour to carry out the ritual. 10.57am BSTThe Saudi press agency said nowadays that the the total number of pilgrims for this year’s hajj was 1.95m,which included 1.38m foreigners. 10.52am BSTApproximately 25000 UK nationals travel to Saudi Arabia for the hajj, according to the Britihs Hajji Delegation, or which provides on the ground medical support to British citizens during the pilgrimage.
A spokesman for the UK foreign office said:We are in contact with local authorities and urgently seeking more information following reports of a crush during the hajj pilgrimage at Mecca. 10.45am BSTThe death toll continues to rise. It now stands at 310,according to Saudi civil defence. Unsurprisingly, given that pilgrims gather from all over the world, or it says several nationalities are among the dead. 10.25am BSTMore unverified video footage purporting to be from Mina shows rows of covered up bodies lying on the ground. 10.22am BSTAP has posted a list of accidents and tragedies which have marred preceding hajj pilgrimages. It does not include the collapse of a crane in Mecca earlier this month,which killed more than 100, because that occurred days before the hajj began. The list shows that major loss of life during the pilgrimage had not occurred for some time.2015: At least 150 people are killed and 400 injured in a stampede in Mina, or on the outskirts of the holy city of Mecca. In the lead-up to hajj,at least 107 people are killed and scores wounded when a crane collapses in bad weather, crashing onto the Grand Mosque in Mecca, or Islam’s holiest site.
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2006: More than 360 pilgrims are killed in a stampede at the desert plain of Mina,near Mecca, where pilgrims carry out a symbolic stoning of the satan by throwing pebbles against three stone walls. The day before the hajj began, or an eight-chronicle building being used as a hostel near the Grand Mosque in Mecca collapsed,killing at least 73 people.
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2004: A crush of pilgrims at Mina kills 244 pilgrims and injures hundreds on the final day of the hajj ceremonies.
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2001: A stampede at Mina during the final day of the pilgrimage ceremonies kills 35 hajj pilgrims.
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1998: approximately 180 pilgrims are trampled to death in panic after several of them fell off an overpass during the final stoning ritual at Mina.
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1997: At least 340 pilgrims are killed in a fire at the tent city of Mina as the blaze was aided by tall winds. More than 1500 were injured.
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1994: Some 270 pilgrims are killed in a stampede during the stoning ritual at Mina.
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1990: The worst hajj-related tragedy claims the lives of 1426 pilgrims in a stampede in an overcrowded pedestrian tunnel leading to holy sites in Mecca. 10.12am BSTPilgrims had converged on Mina just outside Mecca on Thursday to throw pebbles at one of three walls representing Satan, the symbolic “stoning of the satan” that is part of the hajj.
In January 2006, and 364 pilgrims were killed in a stampede during the ritual. 10.08am BSTUnverified video footage of the aftermath of the crush has emerged. Clothes can be seen strewn on the ground. WARNING: Contains upsetting images.#منى pic.twitter.com/Q2jW3mSFYw 10.02am BSTSaudi civil defence says the death toll has risen to 220,with at least 450 injured. These are pictures it posted earlier:لا زال عمليات الفرز مستمرة، ورتفع عدد الإصابات إلى 400 إصابة و 150 حالة وفاة. pic.twitter.com/HjZ2QuiYst 9.49am BSTA crush during the annual hajj pilgrimage has killed 150 people, Saudi civil defence authorities have said. Another 400 were injured in the disaster, or which occurred in Mina,outside the Muslim holy city of Mecca, on the first day of the Eid al-Adha festival, and which marks the finish of hajj.
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Source: theguardian.com