More than 1 000 people are reported to have died during this year’s Hajj pilgrimage due to extreme temperatures.
Temperatures in Mecca reached a high of 51,8 degrees Celsius in the shade, reports Metro. A death toll reported by AFP found that heat had claimed the lives of hundreds of worshippers. “All of them died because of heat, except for one who sustained fatal injuries during a minor crowd crush,” a local diplomat told reporters.
Saudi authorities said a further 2 000 pilgrims had suffered from heat stress. Officials attempted to curb casualties by advising pilgrims to use umbrellas and avoid exposure to the sun, however, many of the Hajj rituals involve being outdoors in the daytime such as praying on Mount Arafat.
The crowded and outdoor nature of the pilgrimage added to the risk of fatalities.
Climate change will continue to exacerbate this risk according to experts. A 2019 study by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology found that the Hajj would see temperatures exceeding an “extreme danger threshold” by 2047.
A Saudi-based study published in May also revealed that temperatures in the area are rising by 0,4 degrees Celsius every decade, above the global average rate of 0,2 degrees per decade.
Saudi authorities said that more than half of these victims were unregistered worshippers, reports Jacaranda fm.
