According to Saudi officials, at least 550 pilgrims have died during this year’s Hajj. The temperature within the holy metropolis of Mecca is 50 degrees Celsius, highlighting the excessive situation during this year’s pilgrimage.
This year’s Hajj and Eid al-Adha festival
Two Arab diplomats told AFP that at least 323 of the deceased were Egyptian citizens, most of whom succumbed to heat-related illnesses.
The Hajj rituals began as pilgrims arrived in Mina
An Arab diplomat mentioned, “All of them (Egyptians) died due to the heat, except for one person who was fatally injured in a minor stampede.”
Preparations complete; Hajj rituals to start from tomorrow
He further explained that the total number of deaths is based on data from the morgue of a hospital in the Al-Muaysim neighborhood of Mecca.
Determination in the absence of capability for Hajj
According to AFP, the deaths of pilgrims from several countries, totaling 577, have been confirmed.
Entry restrictions in Mecca for visitors on a visa during Hajj
Diplomats reported seeing 550 bodies in the morgue of Al-Muaysim, one of the largest in Mecca.
Most of the deceased are Egyptian citizens.
Earlier Tuesday, Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that Cairo cooperates with Saudi officers to locate Egyptian residents who went missing during Haj.
In a statement, the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs additionally mentioned that “a certain number of deaths have occurred,” without specifying that most of the victims were Egyptian.
Iranian pilgrims can perform Umrah after eight years
Diplomats mentioned that at least 60 Jordanian citizens have also died during this year’s Hajj. This number is much higher than the official statistics provided by Amman on Tuesday.
Local media in Indian-administered Kashmir reported that at least five Kashmiri women who had arrived in Mecca for Hajj died due to the extreme heat.
Thousands of pilgrims were affected by the heat.
Meanwhile, Saudi officials reported on Sunday that more than 2,000 pilgrims were receiving treatment for various heat-related illnesses. However, authorities have not updated this number since Sunday and have not provided any new information on fatalities.
A Saudi study published last month indicated that climate change rapidly affects the Hajj.
It stated that the temperature in the area where Hajj rituals occur rises by 0.4 degrees Celsius per decade.
Performing Hajj rituals in extreme heat
On Monday, AFP journalists observed that pilgrims in Mina, outside Mecca, poured water bottles over their heads. At the same time, many volunteers distributed cold drinks and quickly melted chocolate ice cream to help them stay calm.
Saudi officers counseled pilgrims to use umbrellas during the most desirable parts of the day, drink plenty of water, and avoid exposure to daylight.
However, many Hajj rituals, including the most enormous one, Waqf at Arafat, occurred on Saturday and required staying outside for hours at some point.
During Hajj, some pilgrims witnessed motionless individuals on the roadside and ambulances frequently arriving.
According to Saudi officials, around 1.8 million pilgrims participated in this year’s Hajj, with 1.6 million coming from abroad.
Last year, during Hajj, reports indicated that at least 240 pilgrims from various countries had died. Most of whom were from Indonesia.
