As sweltering heat continues to grip parts of Asia, an AFP tally indicates that over 1,000 people have died during this year’s hajj in Saudi Arabia. The report revealed that more than half of the deceased were unregistered worshippers who undertook the pilgrimage in extreme heat.
New deaths reported on Thursday included 58 from Egypt. An Arab diplomat provided a breakdown showing that out of 658 total deaths from Egypt, 630 were unregistered.
Approximately 10 countries have reported a total of 1,081 deaths during the annual pilgrimage, which is one of the five pillars of Islam and must be completed by all Muslims with the means at least once. These figures were obtained through official statements or from diplomats handling their countries’ responses, according to AFP.
The timing of the hajj is determined by the lunar Islamic calendar, and this year it coincided once again with the sweltering summer in Saudi Arabia. Earlier this week, weather agencies recorded temperatures exceeding 51 degrees Celsius at the Grand Mosque in Mecca.
A Saudi study published last month indicated that temperatures in the area are increasing by 0.4 degrees Celsius each decade.
Despite Saudi authorities clearing hundreds of thousands of unregistered pilgrims for hajj this year, many still participated without proper permits. Unregistered pilgrims did not have access to air-conditioned areas and other facilities, making them particularly vulnerable to the heatwave.
“People were tired after being chased by security forces before Arafat day. They were exhausted,” one Arab diplomat told AFP on Thursday, referring to the day-long outdoor prayers on Saturday that marked the climax of the hajj.
The primary cause of death for the majority of the pilgrims was the extreme heat, which led to complications such as high blood pressure, cardiovascular issues, and other health problems.
In addition to Egypt, fatalities have been confirmed by Malaysia, Pakistan, India, Jordan, Indonesia, Iran, Senegal, Tunisia, and Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan region, although in many cases, authorities have not specified the causes of death.
