Saudi officials said the stampede, which occurred at about 2pm local time,[1] was caused by conditions "beyond human endurance", with a record 2.5 million pilgrims that year.
After Saudi police sealed off the overpass, the crowds panicked and moved in two directions, causing more people to fall.
Ambulances could not reach the scene of the incident fast enough, which likely contributed to the death toll.
[3] A Saudi statement on the incident blamed pilgrims who were rushing to throw their stones as causing the stampede.
[3] One Saudi report stated that the victims included 182 Turks, and mostly Lebanese among the remainder.