Live updates: Stampede at Mecca kills 717.........

Live updates: Stampede at Mecca kills 717, including 1 Indian; at least 21 Indians among 719 injured

The death toll has risen to 453, The report added that the number of injured is now 719. According to TV channels, the number of Indians injured in the stampede has also gone up to 21. 

The injured have been evacuated to four different hospitals in the Mina region, Al Jazeera quoted a civil defence spokesman as saying.  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.

Thursday’s ritual was taking place at a five-storey structure known as the Jamarat Bridge, which cost more than $1 billion (£0.66 billion) to build, and which was used during earlier pilgrimages.  Almost one kilometre (less than a mile) long, it resembles a parking garage and allows 300,000 pilgrims an hour to carry out the ritual. 

 The Saudi press agency said today that the the total number of pilgrims for this year’s hajj was 1.95 million, which included 1.38 million foreigners.

 Update from Ministry of External Affairs , Government of India:"We cannot rule out Indian casualties at this point of time; Our doctors are deployed in all Government hospitals in Mina of Makkah"
 Helpline numbers one 0096 6125 458 000 ,
Another Number released . 0096 6125 496 000.
 Saudi civil defence says that the death toll at the Mina Haj crush rises to 310
 Stampede during Haj 2015
4,000 personnel with 220 ambulances conducting rescue operations in Mina . Death toll increased to 300. Emergency helpline in Saudi: 00966125458000.