Nearly 700 die in Iraq stampede, toll to rise

[seventeen seconds]

695 Dead, 180 Hurt in Iraq Bridge Stampede

By QASSIM ABDUL-ZAHRA, Associated Press Writer 23 minutes ago

 

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Panic engulfed thousands of Shiites marching across a bridge in a religious procession Wednesday after rumors spread that a suicide bomber was about to attack, triggering a stampede that killed at least 695 people. It was the single biggest confirmed loss of life in Iraq since the March 2003 invasion.

 

Scores jumped or were pushed to their deaths into the Tigris River, but many were crushed in the crowd, which had jammed up at a security checkpoint on the western side of the Azamiyah bridge. Most of the dead were women and children, Interior Ministry spokesman Lt. Col. Adnan Abdul-Rahman said.

 

Tensions already had been running high in the procession to the shrine in Baghdad's heavily Shiite Kazimiyah district because of a mortar attack two hours earlier against the site. The shrine was about a mile from the bridge.

 

Health Ministry spokesman Qassim Yahya said the casualty toll was 695 dead and 180 injured. Figures from other official sources varied somewhat because survivors were rushed in ambulances and private cars to many hospitals, and officials were scrambling to compile accurate casualty figures.

 

965 confirmed deaths Last Update

[Gitta Rensolo]

this is so sad....when i saw the pictures on TV it was horrible...there were death bodies lying everywhere.... :(

[Professor Peedston]

The real sick irony is that it all started because of people trying to avoid a suicide bomber. An actual suicide bomber could never have killed 1,000 people in that environment.

[Gitta Rensolo]

yes there was the rumor that there is a suicide terrorist.... :(

[burningmonk]

But there wasn't one. Which, to me, makes it even sadder.

[an_cat]

"Well, I never pray. But tonight I'm on my knees, yeah."

[silverion]

And people are more worried about a national disaster that happened in America. Now dont get me wrong. I feel for the US i really do. What happened because of Katrina is really bad. But at the end of the day if the Irag war did not happen. Or if things had been done diferently. Then perhaps the Iraq shiites would not be in the position where the mere rumour of a suicide bomber did not have such an affect. But things are as they are. And now the world is in a panic.

[an_cat]

It saddened me deeply to see this be on the third page of the local newspaper... Do NOT get me wrong about Katrina. But there's only so many front page articles about human suffering you can do until people get over saturated. This situation should have at least had a blurb SOMEWHERE on the front page. Holy hell... :cry:

[Sienna]

i didnt know about this... how come it hasnt been on the news? probably Katrina...

[burningmonk]

In that case Africa should be on the front page every day.

[Gitta Rensolo]

I think it's always the same with the media.There are always very bad things happening in the world e.g.Iraq and it seems that nobody cares.But if something like that happens in the USA then there are special shows about it,the newspapers are full of it....

this is annoying me....

[SeanC]

In that case Africa should be on the front page every day.

 

Yeah but africa isnt a new issue, this is

[burningmonk]

Almost a thousand people die in Africa EVERYDAY. Therefore it would be news.

[an_cat]

^I agree with that whole heartedly. Iraq should be on the front cover everyday, as well. So should a lot of things. The asian tsunami was only on the front page of my paper for about 2 days, the day after it happened then the begining clean up. After that it started to get bumped back. It amazes me how once something happens HERE in America, people start caring about donations and stuff like this. Not that I'm downplaying Katrina, don't read me wrong, but seriously.... Bah. I don't know.

 

edit: Ewe. This is my 666th post....

 

:stunned:

[Marie]

So much death in Iraq, terrible.

[silverion]

It shocks me.

 

How people can care so little for the suffering in other countries.

 

Yet when something bad happens in your homeland it is in the news for months. And what is worse it does not even matter if the situation abroad is 10 times worse. Where all a bunch of hypocrits