Saudi Arabia: Lightning strikes 4 dead at landmark mountain

Cairo: Lightning struck an area famed for a mountain near the Saudi holy city of Mecca, killing four people, according to social media reports.

A fifth person was hurt by the lightning that struck the five while they were at the Jabal Thawr or Mount Thawr famous among Muslims for housing the Ghar or Cave of Thawr.

An online video showed the dead bodies of four people lying on the ground allegedly after their death due to the lightning.

Several people are seen at the site where they had covered the four corpses.

“May Allah have mercy and bestow forgiveness on the four persons,” a commentator in the video is heard, referring to the victims.

The Cave of Thawr is known for being the place where the Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him) and his companion Abu Bakr took refuge from the Quryash infidels during their migration from Mecca to Medina in 622 AD, a milestone event in the Islamic history that marked the start of the Islamic Hijri calendar. The site is located around 4 kilometres from Mecca, home to the Grand Mosque, Islam’s holiest place.