At least 550 Hajj pilgrims die in Mecca in blazing heat nearing 52 degrees.
Among the deceased, at least 323 were Egyptians, most of whom succumbed to heat-related illnesses, according to two Arab diplomats.
One diplomat noted that all the Egyptians died due to the heat, except for one individual who died from injuries in a minor crowd crush.
The total figure was confirmed by the morgue in the Al-Muaisem neighborhood of Mecca.
The diplomats also revealed that 60 Jordanians had died, up from the 41 deaths previously reported by Amman earlier on Tuesday.
Also read: Saudi Arabia to host family members of Palestinian victims for Hajj
According to an AFP tally, these new figures bring the total number of reported deaths to 577, while the morgue in Al-Muaisem recorded 550 deaths.
The Hajj, one of Islam’s five pillars, is a mandatory pilgrimage for all Muslims who are financially and physically able to undertake it at least once in their lifetime.
A recent Saudi study highlighted the growing impact of climate change on the pilgrimage, noting that temperatures in the ritual areas are rising by 0.4 degrees Celsius (0.72 degrees Fahrenheit) each decade.
On Monday, the temperature at the Grand Mosque in Mecca soared to 51.8 degrees Celsius (125 degrees Fahrenheit), according to the Saudi national meteorology center.
#BREAKING ⚠️ GRAPHIC IMAGES. Several dead bodies of #Hajj pilgrims can be seen in this video now viral on social. Will the #Saudi regime be held accountable? They promote this Islamist tourism & make billions from it. But as of yet, I haven’t seen much media coverage of this! pic.twitter.com/wfOO9OFGKv
— Taha Siddiqui (@TahaSSiddiqui) June 17, 2024
Egypt’s foreign ministry announced on Tuesday that it was collaborating with Saudi authorities to search for missing Egyptian pilgrims.
While the ministry acknowledged a number of deaths, it did not specify if Egyptians were among the deceased.
Saudi authorities reported treating over 2,000 pilgrims for heat stress but have not updated this figure since Sunday nor provided information on fatalities.
Also read: Saudi Arabia to test flying taxis and drones during 2024 Hajj Season
Last year, various countries reported at least 240 pilgrim deaths, predominantly Indonesians.
AFP journalists in Mina, near Mecca, observed pilgrims pouring water over their heads, while volunteers distributed cold drinks and fast-melting ice cream to help them stay cool.
Saudi officials advised pilgrims to use umbrellas, drink plenty of water, and avoid sun exposure during the hottest parts of the day.
Despite these precautions, many Hajj rituals, including the prayers on Mount Arafat, require prolonged outdoor exposure during the daytime.
Some pilgrims reported seeing motionless bodies by the roadside and noted that ambulance services seemed overwhelmed at times.
Approximately 1.8 million pilgrims participated in this year’s Hajj, with 1.6 million coming from abroad, according to Saudi authorities.
A significant number of pilgrims attempt the Hajj through irregular channels due to the high cost of official Hajj visas, putting themselves at risk as they lack access to air-conditioned facilities provided by Saudi authorities.
An Egyptian diplomat indicated that the death toll was exacerbated by a large number of unregistered Egyptian pilgrims, who caused disruptions in the official camps, leading to a collapse in services.
These irregular pilgrims suffered from lack of food, water, and air conditioning, ultimately dying from the heat.
As 550 Hajj pilgrims die in Mecca in blazing heat, Saudi officials reported earlier this month that they had cleared hundreds of thousands of unregistered pilgrims from Mecca ahead of the Hajj.
Other countries reporting deaths this year include Indonesia, Iran, and Senegal, though most have not specified how many were heat-related.
Saudi Health Minister Fahd bin Abdul Rahman Al-Jalajel stated on Tuesday that health plans for the Hajj had been successfully executed, preventing major disease outbreaks and other public health threats.
Health officials provided over 5,800 virtual consultations, primarily for heat-related illnesses, enabling timely intervention and preventing a surge in cases, according to the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA).
