The Hajj pilgrimage, a fundamental practice for Muslims worldwide, has witnessed a tragic toll this year with 68 Indian nationals among the 645 pilgrims who lost their lives in Mecca. A Saudi diplomat confirmed these numbers, attributing many of the deaths to the extreme heat and natural causes, particularly among elderly pilgrims. The overall death count has seen a significant rise compared to previous years.
On Tuesday, two Arab diplomats reported that 550 deaths had been recorded during the pilgrimage. This figure included 323 Egyptians and 60 Jordanians, with most Egyptians succumbing to the intense heat. The toll also included fatalities from Indonesia, Iran, Senegal, Tunisia, and Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan region, though specific causes were not always disclosed. According to an AFP tally, the total number of deaths now stands at 645.
The Saudi authorities have not released an official count of the fatalities, but they did report over 2,700 cases of “heat exhaustion” on Sunday alone. The diplomat who confirmed the Indian fatalities mentioned that some Indian pilgrims are still missing, but he did not provide an exact number. He noted that the number of deaths this year is comparable to previous years, although the final tally will become clearer in the coming days.
The Hajj has taken place during the sweltering Saudi summer for several years now. A recent Saudi study highlighted that temperatures in the region where the rituals are performed are rising by 0.4 degrees Celsius each decade, exacerbating the harsh conditions for the pilgrims.
Last year, over 200 pilgrims died, most of them from Indonesia. The increasing death toll underscores the severe challenges posed by the extreme heat and the need for enhanced safety measures to protect the millions who undertake this sacred journey annually.