This year’s Hajj pilgrimage has seen a death toll exceeding 1,000, according to an AFP tally released on Thursday.
More than half of the deceased were unregistered worshippers who endured the pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia’s extreme heat.
The latest deaths include 58 Egyptians, as reported by an Arab diplomat. Of the 658 Egyptians who passed away, 630 were unregistered pilgrims. In total, about 10 countries have reported 1,081 deaths during the annual pilgrimage, a core pillar of Islam that all Muslims with the means are required to complete at least once in their lifetime.
These figures have been compiled from official statements and reports from diplomats coordinating their countries’ responses.
This year’s Hajj coincided with the sweltering Saudi summer, as determined by the lunar Islamic calendar. The national meteorological center recorded a high of 51.8°C this week at Makkah’s Grand Mosque.
A Saudi study published last month indicated that temperatures in the region are rising by 0.4°C each decade.
