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January 12, 2006
Saudi Arabia: Mecca Mayhem Takes 345 Lives
The recent BBC TV news has given the figure of dead victims at a stampede at the Haj in Mecca as more than 500. The online account states that at least 345 pilgrims have been crushed.
The stampede happened on the last day of the Haj rituals, when congregants traditionally "stone the devil", aiming rocks at three pillars at the foot of the bridge of Jamarat. This ritual has seen fatalities from similar incidents in the past, but today's disaster is the worst of its kind for sixteen years.
The stampede apparently began when pilgrims began tripping on luggage which had fallen out of a bus.
Two years ago, a crush which killed 251 led to the Saudis building extra barriers. Earlier this Haj, more than 76 pilgrims died a few days ago when a hotel collapsed.
As one of the five so-called Pillars of Wisdom, going on the Haj is obligatory at least once in the life of every Muslim who is physically able to travel.
And almost every year, the sheer numbers of individuals all trying to do similar activities leads to deaths and accidents. As the BBC states:
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.More news from CNN
Posted by Giraldus Cambrensis at January 12, 2006 1:59 PM
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