The health minister of Saudi Arabia, Fahd bin Abdurrahman Al-Jalajel, stated that unapproved pilgrims who traveled great distances in intense heat to complete the Hajj ceremonies in and near the holy city of Mecca accounted for 83% of the 1,301 deadlyities.
In Short
In extremely hot weather:
- It was unapproved pilgrims traveling great distances that accounted for 83% of the deaths.
- Ninety-five pilgrims were hospitalized, with many being evacuated to Riyadh
- Mecca experienced 46- to 49-degree Celsius temperatures.
As the hajj pilgrimage took place in extreme temperatures, Saudi Arabia has reported that at least 1,300 individuals have perished, with the majority of the dead not having formal licenses.
The Saudi Press Agency (SPA) stated, “Unfortunately, there were 1,301 fatalities, with 83% of those victims not being authorized to perform the hajj and having to walk great distances in direct sunlight without proper shelter or comfort.”
Over 1,100 people have been killed, according to a count released last week by Agence France-Presse, which was based on official comments from diplomats. 630 of the 658 deaths were unregistered pilgrims, according to Arab diplomats who spoke with AFP.
Up until Sunday, Riyadh had not made any official comments regarding the killings or given its own toll. On June 15, pilgrims congregated for hours of prayer under the scorching heat on Mount Arafat; on June 16, they took part in the “stoning of the devil” ceremony in Mina. On Friday, however, a senior Saudi official announced a toll of 577 deaths for the two busiest days of the hajj.
The Hajj was managed in a “successful” manner this year, according to SPA, as was said by Saudi Health Minister Fahd al-Jalajel on Sunday.
He said, “May Allah pardon and have mercy on the deceased,” and mentioned that efforts had been made to educate the public about the risks associated with intense heat. Their families have our sincere sympathies.
All Muslims who possess the means should perform the hajj once in their lifetimes, as it is one of the five pillars of Islam. Officials from Saudi Arabia reported that 1.6 million of the 1.8 million pilgrims who participated this year were from outside the country.
The hot summer months in Saudi Arabia have coincided with the primarily outdoor ceremonies for the previous few years. This year, Mecca experienced a high of 51.8 °C (125.2 °F) in temperatures.
Regarding unauthorized pilgrimages to Mecca, Egypt’s cabinet announced on Saturday that Mostafa Madbouly, the country’s prime minister, had ordered the suspension of the licenses of sixteen tourism organizations and had referred the managers to the public prosecutor.
In extremely hot weather:
According to the report, certain companies “organized the hajj programmes using a personal visit visa, which prevents its holders from entering Mecca,” through official channels, which is why the number of deaths among unregistered Egyptian pilgrims has increased.
Individuals are given Hajj licenses through the lottery, and countries are allotted permits according to quotas.
Many people attempt to perform the hajj without a permit, even for those who can afford one, as they run the risk of being arrested and deported if discovered.
In the past, nearly two million people have made the five-day journey to Saudi Arabia for the Hajj, where fatalities are not unusual. There have also been fatal stampedes and epidemics during the pilgrimage’s history.
Nonetheless, the total this year was remarkably high, pointing to extraordinary conditions.
Over 2,400 pilgrims were murdered in a stampede in Mina in 2015, making it the bloodiest disaster to ever occur during the trip, according to an AP count.
The entire cost of the stampede has never been acknowledged by Saudi Arabia.
Earlier that year, 111 people were murdered in another crane collapse at Mecca’s Grand Mosque.
A stampede in 1990 claimed 1,426 lives, making it the second-deadliest Hajj disaster ever.
According to the Saudi National Centre for Meteorology, Mecca and the holy sites in and around the city had daily high temperatures between 46 and 49 degrees Celsius throughout this year’s Hajj week.
A few passed out while attempting to carry out the symbolic stoning of the devil.
In extremely hot weather:
One of the holiest religious events in the world is the Hajj, which is considered one of the five pillars of Islam. The Hajj officials in Saudi Arabia report that over 1.83 million Muslims completed the Hajj in 2024, with over 1.6 million coming from 22 different countries and about 222,000 Saudi nationals and residents.
Because of the enormous number of participants in the annual five-day pilgrimage, Saudi Arabia has invested billions of dollars in crowd control and safety measures for those attending.
The danger can increase due to climate change.
In extremely hot weather:
In 2047, 2052, and 2079–2086, the Hajj would take place in temperatures above an “extreme danger threshold,” even if efforts to mitigate the worst effects of climate change are successful, according to a 2019 study by Massachusetts Institute of Technology specialists.
Because Islam uses a lunar calendar, the Hajj occurs every year around 11 days earlier.
In a few years, the Hajj will take place in the winter, when the weather is usually calmer, after it takes place in April 2029.