Mithil Aggarwal is a Hong Kong-based reporter/producer for NBC News.
After at least 1,300 people died during this year’s Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia, witnesses and experts say a combination of scorching temperatures and difficulties with crowd control made the sacred event disorienting and dangerous. At Islamic holy sites in Mecca during the annual five-day pilgrimage, temperatures soared as high as 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Witnesses described people vomiting and fainting in the extreme conditions as they attempted to perform the Hajj rituals around the city.
Saudi Health Minister Fahd bin Abdurrahman Al-Jalajel said that 83% of the deaths were unauthorized pilgrims who had walked long distances in the heat. Official Hajj permits typically include dorm or hotel accommodations and transportation around Mecca, but many people cannot afford them, which can cost up to $10,000. As a result, scores of unauthorized pilgrims often make their way without the proper visas or registration.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Intense heat linked to hundreds of deaths at this year's Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi ArabiaHundreds of people died during this year's Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia as the faithful faced intense high temperatures at Islamic holy sites.
Read more »
Hajj Deaths From Heat Pass 1,000Over 1,000 have reportedly died during extreme heat at Hajj in Saudi Arabia, according to a tally by the AFP.
Read more »
Saudi hajj pilgrims' deaths highlight how extreme heat killsMore than 1,000 people have died at this year's hajj pilgrimage in extreme heat in Saudi Arabia, an AFP tally showed on Thursday.
Read more »
More Than 1,000 Perish During Hajj, With Most Deaths Attributed to Extreme HeatClimate advocates warned that urgent action on fossil fuels is needed to avoid more deaths.
Read more »
Hajj heat wave deaths underscore climate threat for most vulnerableMany of those who died this month from extreme heat in Saudi Arabia were unregistered pilgrims without access to cooling facilities during the Hajj.
Read more »
Old photo of hajj stampede victims falsely linked to 2024 deathsWarning: Graphic contentSaudi Arabia said more than 1,300 faithful died during the hajj pilgrimage which took place during intense heat. A photo showing rows of bodies shared in social media posts about the deaths, however, was taken years earlier.
Read more »