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-Signs, Portents, and the Weather-
Saudis say 717 dead in hajj stampede
2015-09-24
AY-Pee
Saudi Arabia's civil defense directorate says 717 people were killed in a crush of Muslim pilgrims near the holy city of Mecca.
"Gangway, gangway, coming through, make a hole, make it wide..."
Thursday's disaster was the deadliest such incident on the annual hajj pilgrimage in more than two decades, and comes nearly two weeks after a crane collapsed in Mecca, killing 100 people.

The crush happened in Mina, a large valley about five kilometers (three miles) from Mecca that has been the site of past hajj stampedes.

Mina is where pilgrims carry out a symbolic stoning of the devil by throwing pebbles against three stone columns. It also houses more than 160,000 tents where pilgrims spend the night during the pilgrimage.

The civil defense directorate says at least 805 other pilgrims were injured.
Allan is pleased
Posted by:Frank G

#20  This wouldn't happen if we helped expedite their movement. Ima thinkrn Islamic Roller Blades

hilarity ensues
Posted by: Frank G   2015-09-24 21:25  

#19  Sounds like the devil was happy with his stoning.
Posted by: BrerRabbit   2015-09-24 18:31  

#18  Hmmm, can the Halliburton Autonomous Device Division secretly replace the three columns with some auto-turrets that take offense at having rocks thrown at them?
Posted by: Silentbrick   2015-09-24 18:27  

#17  Encore! Encore!
Posted by: DarthVader   2015-09-24 17:29  

#16  Davwin wins again. Your move, Mo.
Posted by: regular joe   2015-09-24 16:50  

#15  Damn, I had the "under".
Posted by: tu3031   2015-09-24 16:18  

#14  They were rushing/running to the kill an infidel competition when killed.
Posted by: paul   2015-09-24 15:43  

#13  Silentbrick, just wait until next year.
Posted by: Rambler in Virginia    2015-09-24 13:08  

#12  I missed the stampede, can they do it again please?
Posted by: Silentbrick   2015-09-24 12:58  

#11  No matter. It's a very lucrative racket for the Soddies. Not quite oil but still very lucrative to have one of the world's biggest tourist attractions.
Posted by: Ebbang Uluque6305   2015-09-24 12:43  

#10  So far this hajj they've had a crane drop onto the Grand Mosque, killing 100. They've had two hotel fires, forcing the evacuation of a thousand or two apiece. And now this.

And still they don't take the hint.

They wouldn't take the hint even if there was a fiery finger writing across the sky "Thou shalt become Lutheran!"
Posted by: Fred   2015-09-24 12:36  

#9  Worshiping idols of wood and stone...
Posted by: newc   2015-09-24 11:39  

#8  Doesn't this happen every year?
Posted by: DarthVader   2015-09-24 10:39  

#7  If they can hold off on the stampedes until they reach the Kaaba, circling it non-stop might eventually produce butter.... or was that some other story from my memory hole :-(

Anyway, they violated Besoeker's taboo on large crowds and gatherings. Too bad so sad.
Posted by: Besoeker   2015-09-24 10:11  

#6  Evolution in action?
Posted by: g(r)omgoru   2015-09-24 10:07  

#5  The Saudis got the money from the rubes, now just the cleanup is left to do. I guess the NASA outreach has not got there yet.
Posted by: Alaska Paul   2015-09-24 10:05  

#4  How is it tragic? They died the way they wanted to.
Posted by: Rob Crawford   2015-09-24 10:04  

#3  Tragic that it happened, but the devil made them do it.
Posted by: Mullah Richard   2015-09-24 09:25  

#2  
Posted by: Frank G   2015-09-24 09:22  

#1  2nd highest fatality total ever

1990 tunnel stampede killed 1400+
Posted by: lord garth   2015-09-24 09:11  

00:00