Latest news Saudi Arabia: More than 1300 heat deaths during Hajj
According to official figures, 1301 people died due to extreme heat during the Muslim pilgrimage Hajj in Saudi Arabia. Around 83 percent of the dead were unregistered pilgrims, Saudi Health Minister Fahad Al-Jalajel announced on Sunday evening. He did not provide detailed information on the nationalities of the victims.
24.06.2024, 06:10
SDA
Temperatures in Mecca and other nearby pilgrimage sites had risen to up to 50 degrees Celsius on Tuesday, the last day of this year's Hajj. "The unregistered pilgrims walked for long distances under the sun without shelter or rest. Some of them were elderly and some others had chronic illnesses," Al-Jalajel explained on Saudi state television Al-Ekhbariya.
Many of the dead had no identity documents with them, which is why it will take time to identify them and inform their families. According to the governments of several Arab countries, a large number of the pilgrims who died had not been officially registered and had traveled to Saudi Arabia on normal tourist visas instead of special entry permits for the Hajj. Unregistered pilgrims generally have no access to the accommodation and transportation services provided for pilgrims.
The pilgrimage to the holy sites in Saudi Arabia, the birthplace of Islam, is one of the five basic obligations of the religion. If physically able, every Muslim should make the pilgrimage at least once in their lifetime. Around 1.8 million pilgrims took part this year.
