MINA: Vast crowds of pilgrims cast stones at walls representing the devil on the third day of Haj yesterday as Muslims around the world began celebrating Eid Al Adha.

The weather was sunny and hot in the morning over the desert valley on Mina, a contrast to the unusually heavy rains that soaked the faithful on the pilgrimage's opening day on Wednesday. The downpours caused heavy flooding in the Red Sea coastal city of Jeddah, killing 83 people.

Officials said none of the dead were pilgrims.

Stampedes of panicked pilgrims at the jamarat area have been frequent in past pilgrimages. In 2006, 346 were crushed to death at the site.

The design of a new bridge, forcing all pilgrims to move in one direction and offering numerous exits, aims to prevent a recurrence.

The stoning rituals at Mina have long been the most hazardous of the Haj. The pilgrims - more than three million this year - file past three stone walls representing Satan, stopping to pelt them with stones in a symbolic rejection of temptation. The stoning rituals will be repeated for two more days, ending the pilgrimage.

The first day of stoning also marks the start of Eid Al Adha, when Muslims around the world traditionally slaughter sheep and cattle in remembrance of Prophet Ibrahim's near-sacrifice of his son.

In the Gaza Strip, residents slaughtered livestock to celebrate the holy day. Muslims are asked to give a third of all meat to the poor and another third to relatives.

In Cairo, worshippers crammed into mosques and spilled out onto the streets for the Eid prayers.