Over 1000 pilgrims die from heat waves during Hajj

Reports indicated that 658 deaths were from Egypt. Of the 658 Egyptian deaths, 630 were unregistered pilgrims, according to an Arab diplomat.

A total of 1,081 deaths from 10 different countries have been reported during the pilgrimage. This year’s hajj took place during the harsh Saudi summer, with the National Meteorological Centre recording a high of 51.8°C (125°F) at the Grand Mosque in Mecca.

A Saudi study published in April noted that temperatures in the region have been rising by 0.4°C each decade.

Despite Saudi authorities clearing hundreds of thousands of unregistered pilgrims from Mecca this month, many still participated in the main rites, which began on June 14. These unregistered pilgrims were more vulnerable, as they lacked access to air-conditioned spaces provided for the 1.8 million authorised pilgrims.

“People were tired after being chased by security forces before Arafat day. They were exhausted,” an Arab diplomat said. The diplomat added that heat, combined with high blood pressure and other health issues, was the main cause of death among Egyptian pilgrims.

Egyptian officials have been visiting hospitals to gather information and assist their citizens in receiving medical care. The foreign ministry stated on June 20, “There are large numbers of Egyptian citizens who are not registered in hajj databases, which requires double the effort and a longer time to search for missing persons and find their relatives.”

 President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi has ordered a crisis team, led by the prime minister, to follow up on the deaths and coordinate with Saudi authorities to facilitate the return of the deceased's bodies.

Pakistan and Indonesia also reported more deaths during the same period. Pakistan, with about 150,000 pilgrims, recorded 58 deaths. “Given the number of people and the weather, this is just natural,” a diplomat said.

Indonesia, which had about 240,000 pilgrims, reported 183 deaths, compared to 313 last year. Other countries confirming deaths include Malaysia, India, Jordan, Iran, Senegal, Tunisia, Sudan, and Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan region. Many authorities have not specified the causes of these deaths.

The hajj timing shifts back about 11 days each year in the Gregorian calendar, so next year it will occur earlier in June, potentially bringing cooler conditions.

 A 2019 study by Geophysical Research Letters warned that due to the climate crisis, heat stress for hajj pilgrims would exceed the “extreme danger threshold” from 2047 to 2052 and 2079 to 2086, with increasing frequency and intensity as the century progresses.