several countries point to severe heat after the death of more than 200 people during the hajj

Saudi authorities claimed to have treated more than 2,000 pilgrims suffering from heat stress, but did not provide information on the deaths.

Announcements from different countries raise fears of a death toll reaching more than 200 during the hajj, the great pilgrimage to Mecca, in Saudi Arabia. This annual rite, one of the largest religious gatherings in the world, took place as Islam’s holiest city experienced temperatures reaching 51.8°C. Saudi authorities said Tuesday (June 18) they had treated more than 2,000 pilgrims suffering from heat stress, but did not provide information on the deaths.

In a new report communicated Tuesday June 18, Jordan’s Foreign Ministry said it had issued 41 burial permits to bury worshipers in Mecca. Authorities “following burial procedures for Jordanian pilgrims who died during the hajj after suffering from heat stroke”, he added. For its part, the Tunisian Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported 35 victims among the Tunisian faithful, in a context of “sharp rise in temperatures” in the kingdom. Neither country has specified the number of cases directly linked to heat stress. The Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, for its part, affirmed that “search operations for Egyptians missing during the hajj” were in progress, evoking “a number of deaths”.

Indonesia earlier reported 132 deaths among its nationals, including at least three victims of heat stroke, and authorities in Iraqi Kurdistan cited the heat as a “one of the main reasons” of the death of 13 pilgrims.

“Prevention is important and pilgrims should not go out during the hottest hours, unless necessary, or use an umbrella”the Saudi Ministry of Health underlined on Monday. “Our health instructions for the days to come are clear and simple: carry an umbrella, drink water regularly and avoid exposure to the sun,” added the ministry.

This year, the hajj attracted around 1.8 million pilgrims, including 1.6 million from abroad, according to Saudi authorities. In a message on Sunday, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the kingdom’s de facto ruler, said his country had a duty to “do everything to help the faithful carry out their worship in complete safety and confidence”.

With climate change caused by human activities, the likelihood of experiencing more and more frequent, longer and more intense extreme heat waves is increasing across the planet.