During this year’s Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia, more than 1,300 individuals lost their lives, including 98 Indians, due to extreme high temperatures at Islamic holy sites. Saudi Health Minister Fahd bin Abdurrahman Al-Jalajel revealed that 83% of the 1,301 fatalities were unauthorized pilgrims who endured harsh conditions while performing rituals around Mecca.
Al-Jalajel mentioned in an interview with Al Ekhbariya TV that 95 pilgrims were hospitalized, with some airlifted to Riyadh for treatment. The identification process was delayed due to many pilgrims lacking proper documents, and the deceased were buried in Mecca without a detailed breakdown.
The victims included over 660 Egyptians, most of whom were unauthorized pilgrims despite Egypt sending more than 50,000 authorized pilgrims. Saudi authorities had expelled tens of thousands of unauthorized pilgrims, primarily Egyptians, who managed to reach holy sites without proper accommodations, exposing themselves to scorching heat.
Egypt’s government responded by revoking licenses of 16 travel agencies that facilitated unauthorized pilgrimages, leading to an investigation into their practices. The agencies allegedly sold Saudi tourist visas to Egyptians, violating regulations that require exclusive visas for Hajj pilgrims.
Additional fatalities included 165 pilgrims from Indonesia and others from Jordan, Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria, Malaysia, and two U.S. citizens. Some countries attributed the deaths to extreme heat, with reports of pilgrims fainting and collapsing during rituals.
The Hajj pilgrimage, a cornerstone of Islam, historically draws over 2 million people annually. Despite Saudi Arabia’s extensive investment in safety measures, incidents like the 2015 stampede in Mina, which killed over 2,400 pilgrims, underscore ongoing challenges in ensuring pilgrim safety.
Temperatures during this year’s Hajj exceeded 46 to 49 degrees Celsius (117-120 degrees Fahrenheit), posing severe risks to pilgrims. With the Hajj’s occurrence shifting earlier each year due to the lunar calendar, concerns about climate change exacerbating these risks persist.
Saudi Arabia’s efforts to mitigate these risks are ongoing, but the magnitude of the pilgrimage continues to present logistical and safety challenges, emphasizing the need for continued improvements in managing this global religious gathering.
