Haj Pilgrims (PTI)
Leader Online Desk: The temperature in Saudi Arabia's Mecca, the holy city for Muslims, soared to 52 degrees Celsius during the Hajj pilgrimage. So far 645 Hajj pilgrims have died due to heat stroke. This was reported by AFP news agency. Meanwhile, India TodayAt least 90 Indian nationals have died during this year's Haj pilgrimage, according to a report by the , citing sources. Most of these deaths are due to heat waves. “No accident was reported,” sources said.
The Yatra which started from June 14 concluded on Bakri Eid. Official information regarding this was given on Wednesday. Meanwhile, the Government of India is in touch with the Government of Saudi Arabia and information about the Indian pilgrims is being sought.
Earlier, an Arab diplomatic official had confirmed that at least 68 Indian nationals had died during the Haj pilgrimage, AFP reported. ” Some of these died of natural causes. Many Hajj pilgrims were elderly. Some are assumed to have died due to altered climate conditions,” he said.
Death due to rising temperature
Many Indian Hajj pilgrims have been reported missing. Earlier on Tuesday, Saudi Arabian authorities confirmed that 550 pilgrims have died this year. AFP reported that most of the deaths were due to rising temperatures in Mecca.
This year around 1.8 lakh people from all over the world came for Hajj. This year there was a severe heat wave and the temperature crossed 50 degrees Celsius. This is the highest level of temperature in recent decades.
Alert notices to pilgrims
On Monday, the temperature in the mosque in Makkah was 51.8 degrees Celsius. The crowd was also huge. Most Hajj rituals, including the one on Mount Arafat, are performed during the day. Pilgrims have to stay in the sun for a long time. Due to climate change, the temperature in Makkah is increasing every year. The Saudi authorities had issued alert instructions to the pilgrims. Most of the pilgrims used umbrellas. Instructions also followed; But the heat was so intense that it caused loss of life.