In the shadow of the fallen crane: Muslims stream into Mecca’s damaged great mosque just hours after devastating crane collapse killed 107 

  • A crane fell into Mecca's Grand Mosque - the biggest in the world - yesterday killing 107 people and injuring 238
  • Today, the clean-up was well underway today as Mecca prepares for the annual haaj pilgrimage starting September
  • Thousands gathered at the mosque today, walking by the toppled crane, with some taking pictures at the scene 
  • Authorities confirmed today that high winds during a violent thunderstorm were to blame for the crane toppling 

Thousands gathered at Mecca today in the remarkably calm aftermath of a disaster that killed more than 100 people yesterday.

The world's largest mosque seemed a picture of serenity today, a drastic contrast with the shocking scenes from just 24 hours ago, when dead bodies scattered the polished floor of the holy site in Saudi Arabia.

At least 107 people were killed yesterday when the crane fell at Mecca's Grand Mosque, which authorities confirmed today was due to high winds during a violent thunderstorm in Islam's holiest city.

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Vast contrast: Pictures show the polished white floor that was yesterday scattered with dead bodies after the carnage that followed a huge crane falling into the world's largest mosque, killing 107 people

Vast contrast: Pictures show the polished white floor that was yesterday scattered with dead bodies after the carnage that followed a huge crane falling into the world's largest mosque, killing 107 people

Human cost: At least 107 people were killed after the crane, pictured in the background, fell at Mecca's Grand Mosque, which authorities today confirmed today was due to high winds during a violent thunderstorm in Islam's holiest city

Human cost: At least 107 people were killed after the crane, pictured in the background, fell at Mecca's Grand Mosque, which authorities today confirmed today was due to high winds during a violent thunderstorm in Islam's holiest city

Massive damage: Today, pictures show the extent of the damage the crane did to the important site, ripping huge holes through massive concrete walls. The crane remained where it fell, a brutal reminder of the human cost of the disaster

Massive damage: Today, pictures show the extent of the damage the crane did to the important site, ripping huge holes through massive concrete walls. The crane remained where it fell, a brutal reminder of the human cost of the disaster

But today, people simply walked by the the toppled crane as they gathered at the holy place, some taking pictures behind the barriers, some posing with the scene of the disaster in the background.

Later on, guards sat on chairs in the middle of a brilliant white floor, surrounded by visitors behind barriers, and just metres away from huge craters in the floor which was yesterday covered with victims of the disaster, which also injured around 238 people.

Some critics have claimed that the authorities were negligent in allowing a series of cranes to tower over the site, as hundreds of thousands of Muslims converge at the holy site for the annual hajj pilgrimage.

It was confirmed today that this year's hajj, which last year attracted more than 2million visitors, will still go ahead despite the disaster, and is expected to begin on September 21.

Lasting reminder: Guards stood on the brilliant white floor, surrounded by visitors behind barriers, and just metres away from huge craters in the floor which was yesterday covered with victims of the disaster, which also injured around 238 people

Lasting reminder: Guards stood on the brilliant white floor, surrounded by visitors behind barriers, and just metres away from huge craters in the floor which was yesterday covered with victims of the disaster, which also injured around 238 people

The aftermath: Today, people simply walked by the the toppled crane as they gathered at the holy place, some taking pictures of the scene behind the barriers

The aftermath: Today, people simply walked by the the toppled crane as they gathered at the holy place, some taking pictures of the scene behind the barriers

Memorable moment: Some people posed for pictures at the scene of the disaster which will be remembered for years to come

Memorable moment: Some people posed for pictures at the scene of the disaster which will be remembered for years to come

Cleansing: The clean-up was well underway today after It was confirmed today that this year's hajj will still go ahead despite the disaster, and is expected to begin on September 21

Cleansing: The clean-up was well underway today after It was confirmed today that this year's hajj will still go ahead despite the disaster, and is expected to begin on September 21

Taking comfort: Many headed to the mosque to pray as the Muslim world counted the human cost of the tragedy yesterday

Taking comfort: Many headed to the mosque to pray as the Muslim world counted the human cost of the tragedy yesterday

Horror: Rescue workers, locals and pilgrims who journeyed to Mecca watched in horror as victims of the crane accident were laid out on the floor of what is a deeply religious place

Horror: Rescue workers, locals and pilgrims who journeyed to Mecca watched in horror as victims of the crane accident were laid out on the floor of what is a deeply religious place

Wreaked havoc: The giant falling structure caused immense damage to the mosque as well as claiming at least 107 lives

Wreaked havoc: The giant falling structure caused immense damage to the mosque as well as claiming at least 107 lives

Yesterday, images shared on social media showed a horrifying scene after the crane boom pierced through the roof of the mosque, bringing down slabs of reinforced concrete.

Today, pictures show the extent of the damage the crane did to the important site, ripping huge holes through massive concrete walls. The crane remained where it fell, a brutal reminder of the human cost of the disaster.

The director general of civil defense, Suleiman bin Abdullah al-Amro, told satellite broadcaster Al-Arabiya that the unusually powerful winds that toppled the crane also tore down trees and signs as a storm whipped through the area.

Thunderstorms: A picture captures the moment the fatal crane was struck by lightning prior to collapsing into the mosque, killing dozens

Thunderstorms: A picture captures the moment the fatal crane was struck by lightning prior to collapsing into the mosque, killing dozens

Struck before evening prayers: Pictures emerging on social media show the scale of casualties with bodies strewn across the mosque floor

Struck before evening prayers: Pictures emerging on social media show the scale of casualties with bodies strewn across the mosque floor

Trail of blood: A man soaked in blood sits on a stool in the mosque waiting for emergency workers to treat him

Trail of blood: A man soaked in blood sits on a stool in the mosque waiting for emergency workers to treat him

He denied reports that lightning brought down the red-and-white crane, which was being used for the mosque's expansion, or that some of those killed died in a stampede.

'The speed of the wind was not normal,' he said. 'There was no way for people to know that the crane was about to collapse for them to scramble,' he added.

An amateur video circulating online, however, appeared to show a frantic scramble in the moments after the crane collapsed as scores of people pushed and jostled one another in a struggle to get out.

At least 238 people were injured in the accident, according to civil defense figures.

Bloodied: Two men try to stem the flow of blood after being caught up in the crane collapse at Mecca yesterday

Bloodied: Two men try to stem the flow of blood after being caught up in the crane collapse at Mecca yesterday

Authorities did not provide details on the victims' nationalities, but it was likely that the tragedy will touch several countries.

The Grand Mosque and the cube-shaped Kaaba within it draw Muslims of all types from around the world throughout the year, though numbers increase significantly in the run-up to the hajj. The mosque is Islam's holiest site, and Muslims the world over pray in the direction of the Kaaba, which is also at the heart of the hajj rituals.

The crane fell into the east side of the mosque, with the top section of the structure crashing through the roof an on to the third floor

The crane fell into the east side of the mosque, with the top section of the structure crashing through the roof an on to the third floor

Performing the pilgrimage during one's lifetime is a duty for all able-bodied adult Muslims. This year's pilgrimage is expected to start around Sept. 22.

Nearly 910,000 pilgrims have already arrived in the country for this year's hajj season, according to official figures.

Ahmed bin Mohammed al-Mansouri, the spokesman for the presidency of Mecca and Medina mosque affairs, said in a statement carried by the official Saudi Press Agency that the crane struck a circular area around the Kaaba and a nearby walkway.

The crane was one of several surrounding the mosque to support an ongoing expansion of the sanctuary and fell into the east side of the mosque killing at least 107 people - with nine Indian citizens, 16 Pakistanis and 15 Iranians reportedly among the dead.

The governor of Mecca region, Prince Khaled al-Faisal, was seen talking with police at the mosque a few hours after the tragedy. 

Irfan al-Alawi, co-founder of the Mecca-based Islamic Heritage Research Foundation, compared the carnage to that caused by a bomb.

He suggested authorities were negligent by having a series of cranes overlooking the mosque.

'They do not care about the heritage, and they do not care about health and safety,' he said.

Alawi is an outspoken critic of redevelopment at the holy sites, which he says is wiping away tangible links to the Prophet Mohammed. 

Online activists created a hashtag on Twitter last night urging Mecca residents to donate blood at hospitals in the area, and queues of locals hoping to help the effort formed at hospitals and medical centres across the city.

Steep hills and low-rise traditional buildings that once surrounded the mosque have in recent years given way to shopping malls and luxury hotels - among them the world's third-tallest building, a giant clock tower that is the centerpiece of the Abraj al-Bait complex.

The construction giant Saudi Binladin Group is leading the mosque expansion and also built the Abraj al-Bait project.

Saudi BinLaden Group was founded by Osama's Bin Laden's billionaire father Mohammed and the sprawling construction conglomerate runs a large amount of major building contracts in the Sunni kingdom.   

A massive £14billion project is currently underway to increase the area of the mosque by 4.3million sq ft - so that it can accommodate up to 2.2 million people at once.

The Binladin family has been close to the ruling Al Saud family for decades and oversees major building projects around the country. The Binladen family disowned one of its many members, late al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden, in the 1990s. 

During the week of the hajj, Muslims converge on Mecca to perform a series of rituals, including the circling of the Kaaba, praying and holding vigil at Mount Arafat, and the symbolic stoning of the devil by throwing pebbles at the three pillars in Mina.

Expansion: The mosque stands at 3.84 million square feet and can hold up to 820,000 worshippers, but this latest renovation will increase it to 4.3 million square feet, allowing it to accommodate up to 2.2 million at a time

Expansion: The mosque stands at 3.84 million square feet and can hold up to 820,000 worshippers, but this latest renovation will increase it to 4.3 million square feet, allowing it to accommodate up to 2.2 million at a time

Hundreds injured: Men and women covered in bandages are pushed in wheelchairs towards ambulances

Hundreds injured: Men and women covered in bandages are pushed in wheelchairs towards ambulances

View from the outside: The toppled crane leans on the Mosque, with the top section of the vehicle having crashed through the ceiling

View from the outside: The toppled crane leans on the Mosque, with the top section of the vehicle having crashed through the ceiling

Aftermath: Paramedics, soldiers and civilians pictured in the mosque following the devastating collapse of a crane

Prayers on and around the mount are a climactic emotional and spiritual moment in the hajj. The faithful believe that on the day the gates of heaven are open, prayers are answered and past sins are forgiven.

All male pilgrims, regardless of wealth or status, wear seamless terry white cloths to symbolize equality before God during the hajj. Women cover their hair and wear long loose clothing, forgoing makeup and other adornments to help them detach from worldly pleasures and outward appearances.

It was on Mount Arafat, marked by a white pillar, where Islam's Prophet Muhammad is believed to have delivered his last sermon to tens of thousands of followers some 1,400 years ago, calling on Muslims to unite.

While following a route that the prophet once walked, the rites are believed to ultimately trace the footsteps of the prophets Ibrahim and Ismail, or Abraham and Ishmael as they are named in the Bible.

Heavy death toll: At least 107 people were killed and more than 230 were injured in Friday's accident in Saudi Arabia's holy city

Heavy death toll: At least 107 people were killed and more than 230 were injured in Friday's accident in Saudi Arabia's holy city

Disaster: The Grand Mosque is usually at its most crowded on Fridays, the Muslim weekly day of prayer. Pictured, the crane in the early hours of this morning

Disaster: The Grand Mosque is usually at its most crowded on Fridays, the Muslim weekly day of prayer. Pictured, the crane in the early hours of this morning

In shock: Muslim pilgrims walk around around the Kaaba, the cubic building at the Grand Mosque in the Muslim holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, early this morning just hours after the horrific crane accident

In shock: Muslim pilgrims walk around around the Kaaba, the cubic building at the Grand Mosque in the Muslim holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, early this morning just hours after the horrific crane accident

Looking to the future: It has been confirmed today that this year's annual hajj pilgrimage will go ahead, despite the tragic deaths of 107 people last night

Looking to the future: It has been confirmed today that this year's annual hajj pilgrimage will go ahead, despite the tragic deaths of 107 people last night

The millions of pilgrims who visit the country's holy sites each year pose a considerable security and logistical challenge for the Saudi government, and large-scale deadly accidents have occurred on a number of occasions in years past.

In 2006, more than 360 pilgrims died in a stampede at the desert plain of Mina, near Mecca. A crush of pilgrims two years earlier left 244 dead.

The worst hajj-related tragedy was in 1990, when 1,426 pilgrims died in a stampede in an overcrowded pedestrian tunnel leading to holy sites in Mecca.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry expressed his condolences and said the U.S. stands with Saudi Arabia and 'all Muslims around the world in the aftermath of this dreadful incident at one of Islam's holiest sites.' 

Gaping hole: The collapsed crane has caused a huge crater in the floor of the Great Mosque, which was undergoing an expansion

Gaping hole: The collapsed crane has caused a huge crater in the floor of the Great Mosque, which was undergoing an expansion

Call for support: Online activists created a hashtag on Twitter urging Mecca residents to donate blood at hospitals in the area

Call for support: Online activists created a hashtag on Twitter urging Mecca residents to donate blood at hospitals in the area

 

Fighting for his life: An injures man lies out on a makeshift stretcher, covered in blankets, while others hold his drip

Fighting for his life: An injures man lies out on a makeshift stretcher, covered in blankets, while others hold his drip

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