Many of those who died this month from extreme heat in Saudi Arabia were unregistered pilgrims without access to cooling facilities during the Hajj.
Muslim pilgrims arrive to perform the symbolic “stoning of the devil” ritual as part of the Hajj pilgrimage in Mina, near Saudi Arabia's holy city of Mecca, on June 16. DUBAI — The effects of a deadly heat wave during the Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia this month were made worse by the lack of accommodation and other services such as cooling centers for those who traveled there without proper permits, witnesses and media reports said.
Over the past four decades, Saudi Arabia has warmed at a rate that is 50 percent higher than the rest of the Northern Hemisphere, according to a 2021 study published by, which said that if the trend persists, “human survival in the region will be impossible without continuous access to air conditioning.
According to Syam Resfiadi, chairman of Indonesia’s Union of Hajj and Umrah Organizers, Saudi police cracked down on unregistered pilgrims before the Hajj began. They conducted sweeps of guesthouses and hotels and arrested hundreds who did not have the proper documentation, Resfiadi said. “She was a simple woman, illiterate,” said Fadl, adding that they fought before she left because he didn’t want her to go without an official visa.
“I insisted that she was not dead and we need to make sure,” Fadl said. After combing the news, he noticed that “there were many lost people and others posting photos of their missing family members.”
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.
Over 1,000 Muslim worshippers die of heat exhaustion during Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia: reportOver 1,000 individuals participating in the annual Hajj pilgrimage in the Saudi Arabian city of Mecca this year have perished due to heat-related afflictions, according to reports.
Read more »
Unbearable heat in Saudi Arabia claims 900+ lives at HajjDeaths among Egyptians alone jump to at least 600, bringing total death toll from scorching heat during annual Islamic pilgrimage to 922.
Read more »
Hundreds died during this year’s Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia amid intense heat, officials sayHundreds of people died during this year’s Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia as the faithful faced intense high temperatures at Islamic holy sites in the desert kingdom.
Read more »
Hundreds Die During Hajj Pilgrimage In Saudi Arabia Amid Intense HeatOne list circulating online suggested at least 550 people died during the five-day Hajj.
Read more »
Hundreds died during Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia amid intense heat, officials saySaudi Arabia has not commented on the death toll, but one list circulating online suggested at least 550 people died during the five-day Hajj.
Read more »
Hundreds of pilgrims died of likely heat-related causes during Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi ArabiaOfficials in several countries said some of their pilgrims died because of the heat that swept across the holy sites at Mecca.
Read more »