More than 900 Hajj pilgrims in Mecca are reported to have died as of Wednesday, June 19, due to the extreme heatwave in Saudi Arabia. Several people have also been reported missing amid the tragedy.
Le Monde reported that at least 600 of the deceased were from Egypt, marking a significant loss for the country. Similarly, CNN Indonesia reported that 165 Indonesians were among the dead, citing the country’s Consulate General’s Hajj Management Office in Saudi Arabia.
Other countries also mourned losses: 41 Jordanians, 35 Tunisians, and 11 Iranians were confirmed dead, according to respective national authorities.
The Iranian Red Crescent announced that 22 Jordanians are currently missing, and 26 Iranians have been hospitalized, as reported by Iran’s Tasnim news agency.
Concern for Cameroonian Pilgrims
Amidst the rising death toll, no reports have emerged regarding the welfare of the 5,500 Cameroonian pilgrims who embarked on the journey this year.
In a proactive measure, the Cameroonian government recently handed over an ambulance to Dr. Kamilou Ibrahima, head of the Cameroonian medical delegation to the Hajj, through the country’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia.
This initiative aimed to address the health needs of Cameroonians during the Hajj, particularly in light of the extreme temperatures.
Extreme Heat in Mecca
The unprecedented heat wave in Mecca saw temperatures soar to a blistering 51.8 degrees Celsius (125 degrees Fahrenheit) on Monday, CNN reported, citing the Saudi national meteorology center.
The extreme conditions have significantly compounded the challenges faced by the 1.8 million pilgrims participating in the 2024 Hajj, the fifth pillar of Islam, which is obligatory for every Muslim who can afford it.
The sheer number of pilgrims often makes the Hajj a perilous event, with incidents of stampeded being a recurrent danger. However, this year, the Saudi authorities have been particularly challenged by the need to protect pilgrims from the extreme heat.
Over 2,000 pilgrims have been treated for heat stress, although Saudi officials have not updated these figures since Sunday nor provided specific information on fatalities linked to the heatwave.
Last year, at least 240 pilgrims were reported dead by various countries, most of them Indonesians.
This year, the death toll has tragically surpassed that figure, prompting urgent calls for more robust measures to safeguard pilgrims.
