Over 550 Hajj Pilgrims Succumb To Brutal Heatwave In Mecca As Temperature Nears 52°C

Diplomats reported on Tuesday that at least 550 pilgrims died during the annual Hajj pilgrimage, highlighting the extreme conditions exacerbated by scorching temperatures. Among the deceased, 323 were Egyptians, primarily succumbing to heat-related illnesses, according to two Arab diplomats.

Additionally, 60 Jordanians were reported dead, an increase from the earlier toll of 41.

These new fatalities bring the total reported deaths to 577, as per an AFP report, with the morgue in Al-Muaisem, Mecca, recording 550 bodies. This year's Hajj, a mandatory Islamic pilgrimage, was attended by around 1.8 million pilgrims, including 1.6 million from abroad.

Climate change is increasingly affecting the pilgrimage, with a recent Saudi study noting a 0.4 degrees Celsius rise in temperatures per decade in the area where Hajj rituals are performed. On Monday, temperatures soared to 51.8 degrees Celsius (125 Fahrenheit) at the Grand Mosque in Mecca, according to the Saudi national meteorology center.

The extreme heat led to over 2,000 pilgrims being treated for heat stress by Saudi authorities, though no updated fatality figures have been provided since Sunday. Egypt's foreign ministry is collaborating with Saudi authorities to locate missing Egyptian pilgrims and manage the crisis.

Last year, 240 pilgrims died, mostly Indonesians. Saudi officials had advised using umbrellas, staying hydrated, and avoiding sun exposure during peak hours, but many Hajj rituals, such as the prayers on Mount Arafat, require long periods outdoors during the day. Pilgrims reported seeing motionless bodies and overwhelmed ambulance services.

Many pilgrims attempt the Hajj through irregular channels due to the high cost of official visas, which prevents them from accessing air-conditioned facilities provided by Saudi authorities. The Egyptian death toll included a significant number of unregistered pilgrims, as noted by one of the diplomats.

Ahead of the Hajj, Saudi officials removed hundreds of thousands of unregistered pilgrims from Mecca. Other countries reporting deaths during this year's pilgrimage include Indonesia, Iran, and Senegal, though the specific number of heat-related fatalities remains unclear.