A crane toppled over this evening at one of Islam's most important mosques -- Mecca's Masjid al-Haram, or Grand Mosque -- killing at least 87 people and injuring 201 others, Saudi Arabia's civil defense authorities said Friday Severe storms and heavy rain caused the crane to fall, the directorate of the Saudi Civil Defense said via Twitter.
The Masjid al-Haram surrounds Islam's holiest site, the Kaaba -- a shrine that worshipers visit during the Hajj, the annual pilgrimage to Mecca.
Approximately 2 million people a year make the pilgrimage, which this year is due to begin around September 21.
A strong thunderstorm popped up over Mecca about 4 p.m. local time Friday (9 a.m. ET), bringing gusty winds which shifted direction and caused the local temperature to drop from 42 to 25 degrees Celsius (107.6 to 77 degrees Fahrenheit.),
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