In the middle of the hajj pilgrimage, more than 900 pilgrims died, mainly due to the heatwave in the vicinity of Mecca. The majority of victims are Egyptian, with the death toll reaching at least 600. In addition to the Egyptian deaths, 60 deaths of Jordanians and 68 of Indian pilgrims were confirmed. Deaths were also reported in Indonesia, Iran, Senegal, Tunisia and Iraqi Kurdistan. Temperatures reaching 51.8 degrees were fatal for many pilgrims, especially those without access to air-conditioned facilities.
The hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam, must be performed by every Muslim who can afford to do so at least once in their life. Based on the Muslim lunar calendar, the hajj has been marked by scorching temperatures in recent years, exacerbated by climate change. A Saudi study published in May also indicates an increase of 0.4 degrees every ten years at pilgrimage sites. Saudi authorities reported treating more than 2,000 pilgrims for heat stress, without specifying the number of deaths.
Search for the missing
For several days, relatives of pilgrims who disappeared during the hajj in Saudi Arabia have been desperately searching hospitals and social networks have been flooded with photos and messages searching for the missing people. Ghada Mahmoud Dawoud, an Egyptian woman, has been missing since Saturday. A family friend, based in Saudi Arabia, posted a message on Facebook at the request of his daughter back in Egypt, hoping to get information.
Among the missing is also Mabrouka bint Salem Shoushana, a Tunisian septuagenarian. Not having an official permit for the hajj, she was unable to access the air-conditioned areas. Her husband remains without news despite his searches in all hospitals. Houria Sharif, a 70-year-old Egyptian woman, has still not been found despite intensive searches by her relatives. The situation highlights the growing challenges of the hajj in the face of extreme weather conditions and logistical inadequacies.