Death toll rises to 717 in Saudi Arabia hajj tragedy

The death toll in Saudi Arabia pilgrimages’ stampede has continued to rise with the latest figure standing at 717 while about 863 were also confirmed injured.
They incident happened on Thursday in Mina outside Mecca, Saudi’s civil defence reports.

The injured have been evacuated to four different hospitals in the Mina region, according to a civil defence spokesman.

Mina is where pilgrims carry out a symbolic stoning of the devil by throwing pebbles against three stone walls.

It also houses more than 160,000 tents where pilgrims spend the night during the pilgrimage.

Al Jazeera’s Basma Atassi, reporting from Mina, said the incident took place in a street between pilgrim camps.

“The street where it happened is named Street 204. This stampede did not happen at the site of the ‘stoning of the devil’ ritual, which was happening today.

“During and after the stampede the pilgrims continued to flock into Mina to perform the devil stoning ritual.”

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