Hajj Death Toll Surpasses 1,000 Amidst Extreme Heat in Saudi Arabia

 Hajj Death Toll Surpasses 1,000 Amidst Extreme Heat in Saudi Arabia

The death toll from this year's Hajj pilgrimage has exceeded 1,000, according to an AFP tally reported on Thursday. Over half of the deceased were unregistered worshippers who undertook the pilgrimage amidst the extreme heat in Saudi Arabia.

Among the new deaths reported on Thursday were 58 Egyptians, adding to the total of 658 Egyptian fatalities, of which 630 were unregistered pilgrims, according to an Arab diplomat. In total, approximately 1,081 deaths have been reported by around 10 countries during this annual pilgrimage, a core pillar of Islam which requires all Muslims with the means to complete at least once in their lifetime.

These figures were obtained through official statements and diplomatic sources coordinating their respective countries' responses. This year's Hajj occurred during the peak of the Saudi summer, with the national meteorological center reporting a high of 51.8 degrees Celsius (125 Fahrenheit) at the Grand Mosque in Mecca. A Saudi study published last month indicated that temperatures in the area are rising by 0.4 degrees Celsius per decade.

Tens of thousands of pilgrims attempt the Hajj through irregular channels each year, unable to afford the often expensive official permits. Despite Saudi authorities' efforts to clear hundreds of thousands of unregistered pilgrims from Mecca, many still participated in the main rites, which began last Friday. Without official permits, these pilgrims could not access the air-conditioned spaces provided for the 1.8 million authorized pilgrims, making them more vulnerable to the heat.

"People were tired after being chased by security forces before Arafat day. They were exhausted," one Arab diplomat told AFP, referring to the intense day-long outdoor prayers marking the Hajj's climax. Heat-related complications, such as high blood pressure, were the main causes of death among Egyptian pilgrims.

In addition to Egypt, new fatalities were confirmed on Thursday by Pakistan and Indonesia. Pakistan, with around 150,000 pilgrims, reported 58 deaths. "Given the number of people and the weather, this is just natural," a Pakistani diplomat noted. Indonesia, which sent around 240,000 pilgrims, reported 183 deaths, compared to 313 the previous year. Other countries, including Malaysia, India, Jordan, Iran, Senegal, Tunisia, Sudan, and Iraq's Kurdistan region, have also confirmed deaths, though many have not specified the causes.

As families search for missing pilgrims, Saudi authorities have begun the burial process. This involves cleaning the bodies, wrapping them in white burial cloth, and interring them in individual graves. "The burial is done by the Saudi authorities. They have their own system so we just follow that," said a diplomat, highlighting efforts to notify the loved ones of the deceased. Given the high number of fatalities, notifying all families in advance, especially in Egypt, poses a significant challenge.

Saudi Arabia has not provided comprehensive information on fatalities but reported over 2,700 cases of "heat exhaustion" on Sunday alone. Last year, various countries reported over 300 deaths during the Hajj, predominantly Indonesians. The Hajj's timing shifts back by about 11 days each year in the Gregorian calendar, potentially offering cooler conditions next year as it moves to June.

A 2019 study published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters warned that due to climate change, heat stress during the Hajj will exceed the "extreme danger threshold" between 2047 to 2052 and 2079 to 2086, with increasing frequency and intensity as the century progresses.

Hosting the Hajj is a significant source of prestige for the Saudi royal family, with King Salman's official title including "Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques" in Mecca and Medina. The Hajj has historically been marked by numerous stampedes and fires, the deadliest being in 2015 when a stampede during the "stoning the devil" ritual in Mina resulted in up to 2,300 deaths.