An accident occurred due to the falling of a crane during a construction work in the Grand Mosque of Mecca on Friday. The Saudi Arabian government reported more than 65 deaths and 154 injured people in the Muslim holy city of Mecca.
The rescue teams have been sent by the Civil Defence Authority as confirmed by the same on their official Twitter handle.However, the Civil Defense had warned for thunderstorms, heavy rain, and the wind in that area.
The annually observed hajj pilgrimage is going to commence next month. So, this becomes a critical situation to handle by the Saudi Arabia’s authorities as millions of Muslims will come to visit Mecca.
Mecca’s Grand Mosque: Crane Accident
The circulation of many pictures started after the crane accident in the Mecca’s Grand Mosque. According to the Guardian, these can’t be verified independently and were too graphic to be reproduced. However, it shows the situation of the time those pictures were taken. Numerous dead bodies can be seen on the floor and injured people were being helped by the citizens and the authorities.
The same account has posted several photos of the current conditions inside the Mosque. In one of them, the collapsed parts of the crane are seen which fell through the roof of a building.
Mecca’s Grand Mosque: Crane Accident
The concerned authorities in Saudi Arabia are taking actions to limit the vulnerabilities to cause accidents and increasing safety precautions and standards to save the lives of pilgrims and other people. They are ensuring to reduce crowd crushes like a stampede in 2006 killing 350 people, collapsing of building in the same year killing 76, and one more stampede in 2004 which killed 200+.
The authorities have taken certain actions like limiting the number of attendees visiting the Hajj when it reached the peak back in 2013. That time, there were more than 3.1 million pilgrims who emerged to see Mecca’s Grand Mosque.
The places where such incidents had happened in the past, have been broadened and widened to reduce the risk of getting injured by any means possible. The religious authorities have asked people to not to touch the sacred spots as it is not mandatory for pilgrims visiting it.
Reconstruction and renovation work is going on in the Mosque to enlarge it along with the outside space for the last two years. Earlier, it was expected to be finished before the start of 2015 pilgrimage which is scheduled to start from September 21.
The complex is made in an area of approximately 88.2 acres including outdoor and indoor prayer spaces. It remains open 24/7.
