Wednesday June 19, 2024
Islamabad (Urdu Point. DW Urdu. June 19, 2024) According to Saudi authorities, at least 550 pilgrims have died during Hajj so far. This time, during the Hajj, the temperature in the holy city of Mecca crossed 50 degrees Celsius, which indicates the serious nature of the Hajj in this year's scorching heat.
This year's Hajj and Eid-ul-Adha festival
Two Arab diplomats told the AFP news agency that at least 323 of the dead were Egyptian nationals, most of whom had succumbed to heat-related illnesses.
As soon as the pilgrims reached Mina, the rituals of Hajj began
"All of them (Egyptians) perished from the heat, except for one man who suffered fatal injuries when he was crushed by a small crowd," said an Arab diplomat.
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Preparations complete, Hajj rites begin tomorrow
He further informed that the total number of dead is based on the data from the morgue of the hospital located in Al-Mu'aisam neighborhood of Makkah.
Hajj with perseverance even if you can't afford it
According to AFP data, 577 pilgrims from various countries have been confirmed dead so far.
During Hajj, the entry of visit visa holders will be prohibited in Makkah
Diplomats said a total of 550 bodies were found in the al-Mu'Ism morgue, one of the largest in Mecca.
Most Egyptian civilians killed
Earlier on Tuesday, Egypt's Foreign Ministry said that Cairo is cooperating with Saudi authorities in finding Egyptian citizens who went missing during the Hajj.
The Egyptian Foreign Ministry also said in a statement that "a certain number of deaths have occurred", but did not specify whether most of the victims were Egyptians.
Iranian pilgrims will be able to perform Umrah after eight years
Diplomats said that at least 60 Jordanian citizens have also been killed during Hajj this year. This number is much higher than the official figures given by Oman on Tuesday.
According to local media reports in Indian-administered Kashmir, at least five Kashmiri women who had reached Mecca to perform Hajj have also died due to extreme heat.
Thousands of pilgrims affected by heat
On the other hand, the Saudi authorities said on Sunday that more than 2,000 pilgrims suffering from various ailments due to the heat are being treated. But that figure has not been updated since Sunday, nor has there been any update on casualties.
According to a Saudi study published last month, the effects of climate change are also rapidly affecting the Hajj.
It said that in the area where Hajj rituals are performed, the temperature is increasing at a rate of 0.4 degrees Celsius every decade.
Performing Hajj rituals during extreme heat
Journalists affiliated with the AFP news agency said pilgrims were seen pouring bottles of water over their heads at Mina outside Mecca on Monday, while many volunteers offered cold drinks and fast food to help them stay cool. They were distributing melting chocolate ice cream.
Saudi authorities advised pilgrims to use umbrellas during the hottest hours of the day, drink plenty of water and avoid going out in the sun.
But many of the Hajj rituals, including the most important one, Waqf Arafah, which took place on Saturday, involve being outside for hours during the day.
During the Hajj, some pilgrims saw motionless people and ambulances coming and going on the roadside, which were sometimes quite numerous.
According to Saudi officials, about 1.8 million pilgrims participated in the Hajj this year, of which 1.6 million were from abroad.
Last year, at least 240 pilgrims from different countries were reported killed during Hajj, most of them from Indonesia.
(AFP, news agencies)
