Saudi Arabia says 220 pilgrims dead in Haj accident

MAKKAH. KAZINFORM At least 220 people were killed and hundreds injured in a stampede at the annual Haj pilgrimage, Saudi authorities said.

The crush happened in Mina, a large valley about 5km from the holy city.

Mina houses more than 160,000 tents where pilgrims spend the night during the pilgrimage. The Saudi civil defense directorate said at least 450 other pilgrims were injured in the stampede.

Photos released by the directorate on its official Twitter account showed rescue workers in orange and yellow vests helping the wounded onto stretchers and loading them onto ambulances near some of the white tents.

Some 2 million people are taking part in this year's Haj pilgrimage, which began Tuesday. The stampede was the deadliest disaster at the Haj since 2006, when more than 360 pilgrims were killed in a stampede in the same area.

Source: The Arab News