More than 1,000 people have reportedly died in Saudi Arabia this year from extreme heat during the annual Hajj pilgrimage.
Deadly temperatures of up to 125 degrees Celsius have compounded the problem, with tens of thousands of unregistered pilgrims putting a strain on Saudi Arabia’s infrastructure.
Some 1,081 worshippers from 10 countries were reported to have died from the heat, according to a published tally. Agence France-Presse.
Muslim pilgrims complete this year’s Hajj as deadly triple-digit temperatures hit Mecca
Pilgrims pray while walking around the Kaaba after completing the Hajj pilgrimage in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. (Isam Rimawi/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Hajj is the annual pilgrimage that Muslims make to visit Islam’s holiest site, the Kaaba (House of Allah in English). This holy building is located within the Grand Mosque in the Saudi Arabian city of Mecca.
Performing pilgrimage at least once is one of the five pillars of Islam and a compulsory act of faith expected of all Muslims.
Travel packages and bespoke accommodations are provided for the hundreds of thousands of Muslims who travel each year to complete the Hajj.
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A Turkish Muslim pilgrim rinses his head with cold bottled water to cool down as he waits to depart in the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia. (Abdel Ghani Bassil/AFP via Getty Images)
By registering, you will gain access to air-conditioned facilities and water stations – essential accommodations in the extreme heat.
However, it is becoming increasingly common for people to misuse tourist or work visas to complete the Hajj without registering.
Although the Saudi Arabian government is trying to crack down on illegal pilgrims, tens of thousands of clandestine pilgrims visit the Kaaba every year.
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At the end of the annual Hajj, Muslim pilgrims perform a farewell pilgrimage called “Tawaf”, which involves walking seven times around the Kaaba, Islam’s holiest shrine, in the Grand Mosque in the holy city of Mecca. (AFP via Getty Images)
The date of the Hajj is determined each year according to the Islamic calendar, and next year it will be in early June.
