110 killed in hajj stampede

110 killed in hajj stampede
Jan. 12, 2006. 10:14 AM
ASSOCIATED PRESS


MECCA, Saudi Arabia - Muslim pilgrims rushing to complete a symbolic stoning ritual at the hajj stampeded Thursday, tripping over luggage, killing 110 and injuring more than 1,000, medical officials said.
The stampede broke out as tens of thousands of pilgrims filed past al-Jamarat, a series of three pillars representing the devil that the faithful pelt with stones to purge themselves of sin. The ritual has seen deadly stampedes in the past, including one in 1990 that killed 1,426 people and another in February 2004 that killed 244.

Maj.-Gen. Mansour al-Turki, a ministry spokesman, said the stampede happened as pilgrims were rushing to complete the last of three days of the stoning ritual before sunset. Some pieces of luggage spilled from moving buses in front of one of the entrances to al-Jamarat, causing pilgrims to trip and pile up, al-Turki said.

Al-Turki said there were deaths but could not immediately give an exact number.

The pillars are located on a large pedestrian bridge, the width of an eight-lane highway over the desert plain of Mina outside the holy city of Mecca. A number of ramps lead up the bridge to give pilgrims access to the site, and the stampede occurred at the base of one of the ramps.

The stampede took place despite Saudi efforts to improve traffic for the massive crowds of pilgrims at the site, where all 2.5 million pilgrims participating in the annual hajj must pass, move from pillar to pillar to throw their stones, then exit. Saudi authorities recently widened the bridge and built extra ramps and increased the time pilgrims can carry out the rite � traditionally done between sunrise and sunset.

This problem needs to be solved by the Saudis who are managing Haj. It is happening every year now. Peopel should not have to die doing Hajj!!

More people control is needed, but to be quite honest there is a alot to be desired by some of the behaviours of people while performing Hajj.

Although, Allah had decided it was their time and how lucky they were to pass away in a place like that and at a time like this.

May their souls rest in peace.

herjihad wrote: Bismillah, What a heartless, crude thing to say, a_!� These people were people of faith�who are in paradise right now.

you are missing the point herjihad
It's the peoples own fault.
They should do hajj in a systematic and civilized manner, and should care about the other people too. I know someone who went to hajj and he told me that people become passionate and start throwing shoes at the place where they throw stones. I mean what if the shoe hits someone in the eye?. Instead of getting selfish they should care about the children and elderly people first.


Edited by ak_m_f