Hundreds injured in Black Nazarene procession

HUNDREDS of people who flocked the Black Nazarene procession on Wednesday sustained injuries during the commemoration of the annual feast that attracts millions of devotees.

The Philippine Red Cross said it served 1,485 people who needed medical attention. At least 860 patients sustained minor injuries while 36 others suffered major injuries.

Some 577 people also needed their blood pressure to be taken, while 12 patients needed ambulance transfer.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council and the Office of Civil Defense in Metro Manila also reported 24 people who fainted or were injured during the procession.

Among these injured were two security guards of the National Museum who were allegedly stoned by some devotees, the agencies said.

Around nine million devotees attended the annual feast, according to the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority.

This year’s procession of the Black Nazarene commemorates the 406th feast of the “traslacion“ or the transfer of the Black Nazarene image from the Recollect Church in Intramuros, Manila to the Quiapo Church in 1787.

The procession started around 7:18 a.m. Wednesday and ended past 1 a.m. Thursday. (Emmanuel Louis Bacani/Sunnex)