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UPDATE 1-Rain, floods in Saudi delay Muslim pilgrims at haj

Wed Nov 25, 2009 6:27pm GMT
 

*Floods strand thousands of haj pilgrims

*13 people killed

*Warnings against politicising holy event

(Updates with death toll, bridge collapes)

By Souhail Karam

JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia, Nov 25 (Reuters) - Heavy rains and floods killed at least 13 people and stranded thousands of Muslim faithful in the Saudi Arabian port city of Jeddah on Wednesday on the first day of the annual haj pilgrimage.

The floods shut a motorway to Islam's holy city of Mecca, leaving pilgrims unable to complete their journey.

"We're stuck because of the water and rain. God willing, everything will be okay," said Hakan, a Turkish pilgrim from Istanbul as he waited for a bus to Mecca.   Continued...

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