Mecca, Saudi Arabia – Friends and family frantically sought missing hajj pilgrims on Wednesday as the death toll from the annual rituals, held in scorching temperatures, surpassed 900.
The soaring temperatures, reaching as high as 51.8 degrees Celsius (125 Fahrenheit), in Mecca during the pilgrimage led to concerns for the well-being of the 1.8 million participants from around the world, many of whom were elderly or infirm. The multi-day pilgrimage, traditionally carried out outdoor, took place this year during the intense Saudi summer.
Reports from various countries indicated a total of 922 deaths linked to the pilgrimage, with a significant increase in fatalities among Egyptians. One Arab diplomat revealed that deaths among Egyptians had risen to “at least 600”, a stark escalation from the previous count of over 300, primarily attributed to the relentless heat.
The challenging conditions resulted in cases of missing persons, including Mabrouka bint Salem Shushana from Tunisia, who went missing after the pilgrimage event at Mount Arafat last Saturday. Sadly, her husband expressed the challenges she faced due to being unregistered and lacking an official hajj permit, which affected her access to vital facilities.
As the search for missing pilgrims intensified, family and friends turned to social media platforms for assistance. One family friend shared the desperate plea of Ghada Mahmoud Ahmed Dawood’s daughter from Egypt, urging for any information that could help locate her missing relative. The uncertainty surrounding the fate of these individuals has left loved ones on edge, with hopes of finding them safe.
The hajj pilgrimage, one of the fundamental practices in Islam, requires all observant Muslims with the means to undertake the journey at least once in their lifetime. Despite the significance of the pilgrimage, challenges have surfaced over the years, particularly with the evolving climate conditions in the region.
Authorities from Jordan, Indonesia, Iran, Senegal, Tunisia, and Iraq’s Kurdistan region reported fatalities related to the pilgrimage but did not specify the exact causes. The rise in temperatures in the area, as documented by a recent Saudi study, has only exacerbated the risks faced by pilgrims engaging in the outdoor rituals.
The distressing situation has highlighted the plight of not only officially registered pilgrims but also those attempting the hajj through unofficial means due to financial constraints. The introduction of a general tourism visa in Saudi Arabia has made it more accessible for individuals outside the kingdom to participate in the pilgrimage, potentially exposing them to unforeseen challenges.