Jamrat stampede update: Death toll rises to 717; over 863 injured

Suleiman Ibrahim
Suleiman Ibrahim
Jamrat death

Death toll in the Jamrat stampede has risen to 717, with 863 said to have sustained varying degrees of injuries.

Pilgrims had converge on Mina, Jamrat to throw stones at pillars representing the devil.

Pilgrims travel to Mina, a large valley about 5km (3 miles) from Mecca, during the Hajj to throw seven stones at pillars called Jamarat, which represent the devil.

The pillars stand at three spots where Satan is believed to have tempted the Prophet Abraham.

Ambulances deployed to the scene
Ambulances deployed to the scene

Pilgrims thronging Jamrat

Pilgrims throwing stoning the devil at Jamrat
Pilgrims throwing stoning the devil at Jamrat

The Saudi civil defence directorate said in a statement that the stampede occurred at around 09:00 (06:00 GMT) at the junction of Street 204 and Street 223.

The pilgrims were walking towards the five-storey structure which surrounds the pillars, known as the Jamarat Bridge.

The incident happened when there was a “sudden increase” in the number of pilgrims heading towards the pillars, the statement said.

This “resulted in a stampede among the pilgrims and the collapse of a large number of them”, it added.

Security personnel and the Saudi Red Crescent were “immediately” deployed to prevent more people heading towards the area, the directorate said.

The Saudi health minister, Khaled al-Falih, said the crush occurred because pilgrims failed to follow directions.

He said “many pilgrims move without respecting the timetables” established by authorities.

See earlier story on the stampede

Share This Article