Intolerable Heat: Over 900 fatalities reported amid the Muslim pilgrimage, Hajj
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"A bloody toll from the heat." That's what an Arab diplomat announced, implying at least 600 deaths reported in Egypt alone. Moreover, around 800 Egyptians are still unaccounted for.
Several countries, including Jordan, Iran, Iraq, Tunisia, Indonesia, and Senegal, have reported pilgrim fatalities in recent days. Adding to the toll, an Asian diplomat mentioned approximately 68 Indian pilgrims who have died. As per reports, this year, a staggering 922 people have lost their lives during the Hajj. Last year, the death toll stood at over 200, mostly Indonesians.
Mabrouka bint Salem Shoushana, a 70-year-old Tunisian, has been missing since the pilgrims climbed the mountain of Arafat on Saturday as per her husband Mohammed, who spoke to AFP. Since she didn't have an official permit for the pilgrimage, she couldn't access air-conditioned rest areas after hours of praying in the scorching sun. The search in hospitals hasn't turned up any leads so far.
Another 70-year-old Egyptian pilgrim, Huria Sharif, was reported missing after the prayer on the mountain of Arafat. "We've knocked on every door but haven't found her yet," a friend of the pilgrim explained.
Ghada Mahmud Ahmed Dawood, an Egyptian pilgrim, is also among the missing. Her daughter contacted a friend of the family in Saudi Arabia and requested help in the search via Facebook, according to the friend. "We haven't found her on the list of the dead, which gives us hope that she might still be alive."
Distraught families of pilgrims are scouring online networks for information, posting numerous photos of missing Hajj participants. The search for the missing is complicated by the fact that many believers participate in the pilgrimage without the official Saudi Arabian authorities' permit and, consequently, are not registered by them.
The Muslim pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia's Mecca city is one of the Five Pillars of Islam, and it's a mandatory religious duty for every financially able Muslim to make this journey at least once in their lifetime. The pilgrimage timing is set by the Islamic calendar and has often coincided with periods of intense heat in recent years. According to official numbers, 1.8 million pilgrims participated this year, including 1.6 million females and foreign pilgrims.
Many rituals are performed outdoors and on foot, posing a considerable challenge for the elderly. According to Saudi Arabian authorities, over 2,700 heat-related illnesses were recorded on Sunday alone. However, no official statements were made regarding the fatalities caused by the extreme temperatures.
A study published in May predicted that weather conditions during the Hajj would become increasingly challenging due to global warming. The study suggests that the average temperature during the pilgrimage rises by 0.4 degrees every decade.
