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Hajj stampede: Footage emerges of the aftermath of disaster that left more than 700 dead

Around 2 million Muslims have made the pilgrimage to Mecca for Eid

Rose Troup Buchanan
Thursday 24 September 2015 12:16 BST
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A medic tends to one of the more than 300 people injured in the stampede
A medic tends to one of the more than 300 people injured in the stampede

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Video footage has emerged of the aftermath of a stampede near Mecca in which more than 700 people have been crushed to death.

The footage, which could not be independently verified but which has been widely shared across social media, showed emergency workers and pilgrims struggling to help those on the ground after the crush during one of Islam's holiest festivals in the city of Mina.

Warning: Some viewers may find the following footage upsetting

Littered over the concrete pathway appeared victims of the crush, as well as scraps of cloth as the camera panned around.

Saudi authorities have confirmed as many as 717 people have died in the stampede, believed to have occurred as pilgrims queued to take part in the traditional “Stoning of the Devil” ritual. More than 800 people were injured in the crush.

It is the worst accident to occur during Hajj since 2006, when more than 200 people in similar circumstances.

As many as two million Muslims are believed to be taking part in Hajj this year.

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