Friends and family are searching for missing Hajj 2024 pilgrims as the death toll at the annual pilgrimage goes beyond 900. Relatives have been searching hospitals and pleading online for information as temperatures hit 51.8 degrees Celsius in Mecca on Monday.
Roughly 1.8 million people from across the globe took part in the days-long, mostly outdoor pilgrimage this year. Fatalities among Egyptians alone have jumped to “at least 600”, mostly from the unforgiving heat, an Arab diplomat informed Afp agency.
That number has brought the total reported dead so far to 922, according to an Afp tally of figures released by different nations. Besides Egypt, fatalities have also been confirmed by Indonesia, Iran, Senegal, Jordan, Tunisia and Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan region.
Saudi Arabia spent billions on extensive cooling systems
Speaking to Afp on condition of anonymity, a diplomat in Saudi Arabia said 68 Indian nationals had lost their lives during this year’s Hajj. The country has not provided information on fatalities, though it reported over 2,700 cases of “heat exhaustion” on Sunday alone.
Saudi Arabia has spent billions of dollars on managing the high number of pilgrims and ensuring their safety during the annual five-day journey. But the sheer number of participants appears to have made ensuring the people’s safety difficult.
The Hajj pilgrimage is one of the five pillars of Islam and all Muslims across the globe having the means must complete it at least once in their lifetime. Pictures of the missing and requests for information on the individuals have been flooding social media.
Climate change to increase risks for Hajj pilgrims’ health
Deaths are not uncommon at the Hajj. Last year, more than 200 pilgrims lost their lives during the journey, making headlines across the globe. There have been multiple stampedes and epidemics throughout the holy pilgrimage’s history.
Thousands of unregistered Muslims, often unable to afford the relatively expensive procedures for official visas, try to perform the rituals via irregular channels. These pilgrims reportedly boosted the concerning death toll among Egyptians in Hajj 2024.
Studies suggest climate change is bound to increase risks for pilgrims’ health in the near future. Researchers predict that the annual journey could turn more dangerous from 2047 to 2052 and from 2079 to 2086 during the hottest months of the year.
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