The heatwave and the presence of numerous unauthorized pilgrims are singled out by the Saudi authorities.
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Saudi Arabia announced on Sunday June 22 that 1,301 pilgrims had died during the hajj, the great Muslim pilgrimage recently held in the country, in scorching heat. The country said most believers did not have permits for the annual gathering in Mecca and other surrounding sites.
“83% (pilgrims) were not allowed to perform the hajj. They had traveled long distances under the sun, without adequate shelter or comfort.”reported the official Saudi press agency. The authorities of Mecca, considered the holiest city in Islam, had advised the faithful to seek shade using umbrellas, to drink plenty of water and to avoid exposing themselves to the sun. hottest hours of the day.
But holding many rituals outdoors has caused thousands of“heat exhaustion”. The Ministry of Health of Saudi Arabia spoke of more than 2,700 cases for the day of Sunday June 16 alone, which is among the peaks of illness for this 2024 edition of the hajj.
In 2023, the death toll will be around 200 during this pilgrimage which generally brings together 1.8 million people.
