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Saudi Arabia on Monday issued a warning about a significant rise in temperatures in Mecca as Muslim pilgrims completed the hajj in extremely hot conditions, resulting in more than a dozen deaths due to heat-related causes.
Despite the scorching Saudi summer, one of the world's largest religious gatherings took place, with over 2,700 cases of "heat exhaustion" reported by the health ministry on Sunday alone.
Temperatures were expected to soar to 49 degrees Celsius (120 degrees Fahrenheit) in Mecca on Monday, the holiest city in Islam where pilgrims were performing rituals such as circling the Kaaba, and in nearby Mina where the ritual of "stoning the devil" was taking place.
The health ministry advised pilgrims to avoid direct exposure to the sun due to the highest recorded temperatures at the holy sites since the start of the hajj.
The foreign ministry of Jordan announced on Sunday that 14 Jordanian pilgrims had passed away from sunstroke during the extreme heat wave, and 17 others were reported as "missing".
Iran confirmed the deaths of five pilgrims without specifying the cause, while Senegal's foreign ministry reported three additional deaths.
The Saudi health ministry reported 2,764 cases of heat exhaustion on Sunday due to sun exposure and failure to follow guidelines, such as seeking shelter from the sun during the hottest times of day in the afternoon.
The ministry said: "The top priority is prevention, and if pilgrims commit to staying indoors during peak times unless necessary, or using an umbrella, it would decrease the number of cases of heat exhaustion.
"Our health recommendations for the upcoming days are straightforward and simple: carry an umbrella, stay hydrated, and avoid prolonged sun exposure."
The hajj is one of the fundamental principles of Islam, and it is obligatory for all financially capable Muslims to perform it at least once.
According to Saudi officials, this year's hajj attracted approximately 1.8 million pilgrims, with 1.6 million of them coming from overseas.
Hosting the hajj is a matter of great honour for the Saudi royal family, and King Salman's official title includes "Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques" in Mecca and Medina.
AFP
