Riyadh, June 19 (Udaipur Kiran) – The extreme heat in Mecca is taking a severe toll on the pilgrims who have arrived for the Hajj. Between June 12 and June 19, a total of 577 pilgrims have died. The intense heatwave in Saudi Arabia is cited as the primary cause of these deaths.
According to a report by The Guardian, among the deceased, 323 are from Egypt and 60 from Jordan. Pilgrims from Iran, Indonesia, and Senegal have also died. Egypt’s foreign minister stated yesterday that they are working with Saudi officials to locate missing individuals. Saudi Arabia has reported that approximately 2,000 pilgrims are being treated for heat-related illnesses.
The Guardian reports that on June 17, the temperature at Mecca’s Grand Mosque reached 51.8 degrees Celsius. Saudi officials have indicated that climate change is significantly impacting Mecca, with the average temperature increasing by 0.4 degrees Celsius every decade. Last year, 240 pilgrims died during the Hajj, most of whom were from Indonesia. Saudi authorities have advised all pilgrims to use umbrellas, drink water continuously, and avoid direct sunlight. This year, about 1.8 million pilgrims have arrived for Hajj, with 1.6 million of them coming from other countries.
Deependra Singh Chundawat is a Senior Sub-Editor at Udaipur Kiran, specializing in a wide range of technology topics including mobile phones, applications, gaming, PCs, and wearables. Along with covering the latest tech news, he also creates engaging web stories. Passionate about emerging technologies, he stays up to date with the newest trends and enjoys reading and writing about the latest mobile launches and digital innovations.
