Muslims perform rituals at the Grand Mosque in Mecca on September 20. (Source: AFP/VNA)

The cause of the disaster was a large number of pilgrims pushing and jostling each other. More than 4,000 rescue workers and more than 200 ambulances are working at the accident site.

On September 24, pilgrims gather at Mina to throw pebbles at one of three walls representing Satan, the symbol of evil, marking the final day of the Hajj.

Mina is a large valley located more than 5km from Mecca, where 160,000 tents are set up for pilgrims to spend the night during the festival.

It is estimated that about 2 million people participated in the Hajj pilgrimage which began on September 22.

Previously, preparations for the pilgrimage were affected by the collapse of a giant crane at the Grand Mosque in Mecca on September 11, killing 111 people and injuring 331 others.

Every September, Muslims from all over the world flock to Mecca for the Hajj pilgrimage. This is one of the world's largest religious ceremonies, attracting millions of Muslims from all continents. Therefore, risks always lurk for pilgrims.

In 2006, hundreds of pilgrims died in a stampede. Since then, Saudi Arabia has spent heavily to expand key pilgrimage sites and upgrade transportation systems to prevent future disasters.

In 2014, the Saudi government reduced the number of people allowed to perform the pilgrimage due to safety concerns related to the construction and expansion of the Grand Mosque. Security was tightened around the city of Mecca to prevent people from performing the pilgrimage without a permit./.

According to Vietnam+