Saudi authorities said a part of a mobile crane being used for construction work at the Grand Mosque in Makkah toppled to the ground yesterday (May 20) afternoon.

However, there were no casualties as the area was far from visitors and worshippers, reported Arab News, citing the Makkah Governorate.

In its statement, The Makkah Governorate said: "At 2.30pm on Sunday, a small, overloaded crane’s arm deviated from its track and collapsed in an isolated work area near Gate 160 at the third Saudi expansion project of the Grand Mosque."

"The necessary measures are being taken. As the site is dedicated to work not to prayer, and away from the path of visitors and pilgrims, no casualties were reported," it stated.

However, the driver of the crane was lightly injured, it added.

At least 107 people had been killed and about 400 injured on September 11, 2015, when a crane toppled over near the Grand Mosque in Makkah amid stormy weather, just days before Hajj.