Scorching Heat Claims Over 1,000 Lives During Saudi Arabia's Hajj Pilgrimage

In a tragic turn of events, the death toll from this year's hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia has surpassed 1,000, according to an AFP tally released on Thursday. More than half of the fatalities were unregistered worshippers who braved the extreme heat to perform one of Islam's most sacred rituals.

The latest figures include 58 deaths from Egypt, as reported by an Arab diplomat. Out of 658 Egyptian casualties, a staggering 630 were unregistered pilgrims. In total, approximately 10 countries have reported 1,081 deaths during the annual pilgrimage, which is considered one of the five pillars of Islam and a mandatory duty for all Muslims who can afford it.

This year's hajj, dictated by the lunar Islamic calendar, coincided with Saudi Arabia's scorching summer. The national meteorological center recorded a sweltering high of 51.8 degrees Celsius (125 Fahrenheit) at Mecca's Grand Mosque this week. A recent Saudi study indicates that temperatures in the area are rising at an alarming rate of 0.4 degrees Celsius per decade.

Despite efforts by Saudi authorities to clear hundreds of thousands of unregistered pilgrims from Mecca, many still managed to participate in the main rites, which commenced last Friday. These unauthorized pilgrims found themselves particularly vulnerable to the heat, lacking access to the air-conditioned spaces provided for the 1.8 million officially permitted worshippers.

An Arab diplomat, speaking to AFP, highlighted the compounded risks faced by these pilgrims: "People were tired after being chased by security forces before Arafat day. They were exhausted." The diplomat noted that heat was the primary cause of death among Egyptian pilgrims, triggering complications related to high blood pressure and other health issues.

The tragedy has not been limited to a single nationality. Pakistan reported 58 deaths out of approximately 150,000 pilgrims, while Indonesia, with around 240,000 participants, confirmed 183 fatalities – a decrease from the 313 deaths recorded last year. Malaysia, India, Jordan, Iran, Senegal, Tunisia, Sudan, and Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region have also reported casualties, though in many cases, the cause of death remains unspecified.

As the grim toll rises, friends and family members of missing pilgrims have desperately searched hospitals and pleaded online for information about their loved ones. Saudi authorities have begun the solemn process of burying the deceased, which involves cleaning the bodies, wrapping them in white burial cloth, and interring them in individual graves.

The Saudi government has not provided official information on fatalities. However, they reported over 2,700 cases of "heat exhaustion" on Sunday alone. The timing of the hajj, which moves back about 11 days each year in the Gregorian calendar, means that next year's pilgrimage will take place earlier in June, potentially offering some respite from the extreme temperatures.

Climate scientists paint a concerning picture for the future of the hajj. A 2019 study published in Geophysical Research Letters predicts that heat stress for pilgrims will exceed the "extreme danger threshold" with increasing frequency and intensity as the century progresses, particularly during the periods from 2047 to 2052 and 2079 to 2086.

The hajj holds immense significance for Saudi Arabia, with King Salman's official title including "Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques" in Mecca and Medina. However, the pilgrimage has been marred by tragedy in the past, including stampedes and fires. The deadliest incident in recent memory occurred in 2015 when a stampede during the "stoning the devil" ritual in Mina, near Mecca, claimed up to 2,300 lives.

As the international community grapples with the aftermath of this year's hajj, questions about pilgrimage safety and the impact of climate change on religious practices are likely to take center stage in the coming months.