Hundreds Died During This Year’s Hajj Pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia

Hundreds of people died during this year's Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia due to extreme high temperatures at Islamic holy sites, officials reported on Wednesday. 

This year’s Hajj, required of every able Muslim once in their life, saw pilgrims facing severe heat, with temperatures reaching up to 51.8 degrees Celsius (125 degrees Fahrenheit).

The Saudi government has not provided an official death toll or causes of death. However, a list circulating online suggested at least 550 people died, which a medic confirmed as genuine, estimating around 600 bodies were at the Emergency Complex in Al-Muaisem, Mecca. Countries like Jordan and Tunisia reported heat-related deaths among their pilgrims.

Each year, the Hajj attracts hundreds of thousands of pilgrims, many from low-income nations with limited access to pre-Hajj healthcare  thereby increasing the risk of communicable diseases and complications from preexisting conditions.

Onlookers witnessed people fainting during the symbolic stoning of the devil in Mina, a rite performed under the intense heat. 

The sheer number of participants and the extreme temperatures pose significant challenges to safety, despite Saudi Arabia's investment in crowd control and safety measures.

The Hajj pilgrimage, which follows a lunar calendar, will occur in cooler months in the coming years, offering some relief from the heat.

 However, climate change poses a long-term threat, potentially making future pilgrimages even more dangerous.

Past incidents during the Hajj include a 2015 stampede in Mina that killed over 2,400 pilgrims and a crane collapse at Mecca’s Grand Mosque that killed 111 people. 

The 1990 stampede, which killed 1,426 people, was the second-deadliest incident in Hajj history.

Saudi officials have not responded to questions about the current situation, and the kingdom has yet to fully acknowledge the toll of past disasters.
Source: AP 
Image: Toronto Star