Tragedy in Saudi Arabia: 577 people died during the pilgrimage

According to Agence France-Presse, citing reports from Arab diplomats yesterday, more than 550 people died in western Saudi Arabia due to extreme heat over the weekend.

The annual Muslim pilgrimage from Friday to Sunday ended in tragedy in a region where temperatures are among the warmest on the planet: During the celebration in Mecca, the mercury reached 51.8°C.

On Tuesday, two Arab diplomats, speaking on condition of anonymity, told AFP that at least 323 Egyptian pilgrims had died, the vast majority of them due to very high temperatures:

“They all died due to the heat, except one, who died after being injured when he was trampled by the crowd.”

He clarified that the total number reported the morgue of the hospital in the Al-Muaysham area in Mecca, where about 550 bodies were taken. By data AFP agency, 577 people died during the pilgrimage. It is unclear whether all died due to the heat or other reasons.

Yesterday, the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated, writes newsbeast.gr that it was conducting “search operations for Egyptians reported missing during the Hajj,” citing “a certain number of deaths.”

Saudi Arabian authorities announced Sunday that about 2,000 worshipers were treated for heatstroke, but did not say whether or how many had died.

Diplomats said at least 60 Jordanians were among the victims, and the Hashemite Kingdom's foreign ministry said earlier yesterday that 41 permits had been issued allowing worshipers to be buried in Mecca.

The Hajj, one of the largest religious gatherings in the world, is one of the five pillars of Islam, and believers who are able should undertake the great pilgrimage at least once in their lives. But this religious congregation is increasingly suffering from the effects of climate change.

A study published in May in Saudi Arabia found that temperatures at ceremony sites are rising by 0.4°C every ten years. Saudi Arabian authorities recommend that worshipers use umbrellas, drink plenty of water and avoid exposure to the sun during the hottest hours of the day. However, many ceremonies took place throughout the day.

According to diplomats who spoke to AFP, The large number of deaths of Egyptians is due to the fact that due to the massive influx, many of them did not receive permits, meaning that they did not have access to food, water, shelter and air conditioning.

Deaths of believers from Tunisia, Indonesia, Iran, Senegal. According to the kingdom's authorities, This year, about 1.8 million believers took part in the great pilgrimage, the vast majority of them (1.6 million) are foreigners.

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