Death toll in Mecca rises to 41
The number of deaths due to high heat during the Muslim pilgrimage Hajj in Saudi Arabia has risen to 41. This was announced by Jordan's Foreign Ministry. The ministry has granted permits for burial in Mecca in cases where the families did not wish to transport the deceased to Jordan. Jordanian pilgrims had suffered from heat stroke. Previously, the ministry had confirmed 17 deaths due to heat.
The pilgrimage began in Mecca on Friday evening under scorching heat. According to the Saudi Meteorology Center, a temperature of 51.8 degrees Celsius was recorded in the Grand Mosque on Monday afternoon, and similar high temperatures were measured at other holy sites in the area.
Authorities called on believers to wear parasols, avoid staying outside during the hottest hours of the day, and drink sufficient water. Sky News showed a pilgrim cooling off in a refrigerator.
Last year, approximately two million pilgrims participated in the Hajj in Saudi Arabia, which is one of the Five Pillars of Islam. Buses and queues help bring the large number of pilgrims to the holy sites, but the large crowds and extreme heat still pose a challenge for both pilgrims and law enforcement. In the past few decades, there have also been several major tragedies resulting in hundreds of fatalities due to stampedes.
- The fatalities during this year's Hajj pilgrimage in Mecca have reached 41, with many attributable to the high heat, as announced by the Jordanian Foreign Ministry, who have provided permits for burial in Mecca for those that families prefer not to transport back to Jordan.
- The Saudi Meteorology Center reported temperatures of 51.8 degrees Celsius in the Grand Mosque on Monday afternoon, and similar high temperatures at other holy sites in the region, making the Hajj pilgrimage in Mecca a particularly challenging endeavor this year due to the heat.
- Despite the high number of fatalities and the challenges posed by the heat, last year witnessed around two million pilgrims participating in the Hajj, demonstrating the high significance and importance of the pilgrimage for adherents of Islam, even under extreme weather conditions.
