At Least 550 Pilgrims Die in Mecca, 2,000 Suffering From Heat Stress as Mercury exceeds 50°C
New Delhi: At least 550 pilgrims have died so far during the Hajj in Mecca, where the mercury has exceeded the 50 degrees Celsius mark.
Of the 550 deaths, at least 323 deaths were of Egyptian nationals, most of whom succumbed to heat-related illnesses, reported AFP.
“All of them [the Egyptians] died because of heat” except for one who sustained fatal injuries during a minor crowd crush, an Arab diplomat told AFP, adding that the total figure came from the hospital morgue in the Al-Muaisem neighbourhood of Mecca.
Due to the gruelling nature of the pilgrimage in the scorching heat, many of the pilgrims have been falling sick.
Saudi officials have reported treating more than 2,000 pilgrims suffering from heat stress but have not updated that figure since Sunday and have not provided information on the number of deaths.
Last year, around 240 Hajj pilgrims from various reportedly died, with most of the deceased being from Indonesia.
Temperatures hit 51.8Cat the Grand Mosque in Mecca on Monday, said the Saudi national meteorology centre, reported AFP.
The report said that its journalists stationed in Mina, outside Mecca, on Monday saw pilgrims pouring bottles of water over their heads while volunteers handed out cold drinks and fast-melting chocolate ice-cream to help them stay cool.
Earlier, Saudi officials had advised pilgrims to use umbrellas, drink plenty of water and avoid getting exposed to the sun during the hottest hours of the day.
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