Diplomats reported on Tuesday that at least 550 pilgrims died during the hajj this year, highlighting the harsh conditions exacerbated by extreme heat.
Among the deceased, 323 were Egyptians, primarily succumbing to heat-related illnesses, according to two Arab diplomats coordinating their countries’ responses.
“All of them (the Egyptians) died because of heat,” except for one who suffered fatal injuries during a minor crowd crush, one diplomat mentioned. The figures were sourced from the hospital morgue in the Al-Muaisem neighborhood of Mecca.
Additionally, 60 Jordanians were confirmed dead, an increase from the 41 previously reported by Amman. The total death toll reported by multiple countries now stands at 577, according to an AFP tally.
The diplomats confirmed that the Al-Muaisem morgue, one of Mecca’s largest, reported 550 deaths.
The hajj, a mandatory pilgrimage for all Muslims with the means, is increasingly challenged by climate change.
A recent Saudi study indicated that temperatures in the pilgrimage area have been rising by 0.4 degrees Celsius (0.72 degrees Fahrenheit) each decade. On Monday, temperatures soared to 51.8 degrees Celsius (125 Fahrenheit) at the Grand Mosque in Mecca, as reported by the Saudi national meteorology center.