Barran Press
A scorching heatwave has claimed the lives of 164 pilgrims during this year's Hajj season, with some succumbing to heatstroke, according to Reuters. Saudi television reported that pilgrims performed the Hajj rituals under extreme temperatures, leading to fatalities. Temperatures in Mecca reached 51.8 degrees Celsius in the shade.
Reuters cited the Jordanian Foreign Ministry, which confirmed the deaths of six Jordanian citizens due to heatstroke during the pilgrimage. The ministry later announced the death toll had risen to 14, without specifying the cause of death.
The Islamic Republic of Iran News Network reported on Tuesday that 11 Iranian pilgrims had died and 24 were hospitalized, although the cause of death was not disclosed. Senegal's press agency reported the deaths of three Senegalese citizens during Hajj.
The French newspaper Le Monde reported that 136 Indonesian citizens died during the Hajj season, including three from heatstroke, according to Reuters.
Jamil Abu al-Aynayn, the general supervisor of the General Directorate of Emergency, Disasters, and Ambulance Transport at the Saudi Ministry of Health, stated that "thankfully, we have not observed anything unusual or any deviation from the normal number of medical cases and deaths."
He added that the ministry had provided healthcare to over 2,700 pilgrims so far due to the high temperatures.
On Monday, Saudi authorities issued warnings about the rising temperatures in Mecca as pilgrims concluded the Hajj rituals.
The Saudi Ministry of Health told the official "Al-Ekhbariya" channel that "the holy sites recorded the highest temperatures since the beginning of Hajj on Monday, reaching up to 49 degrees Celsius. We advise pilgrims to avoid exposure to the sun."
The Ministry of Health also warned on Twitter against sun exposure between 11 am and 4 pm, advising pilgrims to "avoid heat stress by carrying umbrellas and drinking plenty of water."
The ministry emphasized in a statement that "prevention is key, and pilgrims adhering to our advice to avoid going out during peak hours unless necessary, or using umbrellas, would have reduced cases of heat stress."
They added, "Our health guidelines for the coming days are clear and simple: carry an umbrella, drink water regularly, and avoid sun exposure."
According to Saudi General Authority for Statistics estimates, the number of pilgrims this season could reach 1.8 million.