The brand new deaths carry the whole reported to this point by a number of nations to 577, based on an AFP tally.
Jerusalem:
Diplomats on Tuesday stated at the very least 550 pilgrims died through the hajj, underscoring the gruelling nature of the pilgrimage which once more unfolded in scorching temperatures this yr.
At the very least 323 of those that died had been Egyptians, most of them succumbing to heat-related diseases, two Arab diplomats coordinating their nations’ responses informed AFP.
“All of them (the Egyptians) died due to warmth” apart from one who sustained deadly accidents throughout a minor crowd crush, one of many diplomats stated, including the whole determine got here from the hospital morgue within the Al-Muaisem neighbourhood of Mecca.
At the very least 60 Jordanians additionally died, the diplomats stated, up from an official tally of 41 given earlier on Tuesday by Amman.
The brand new deaths carry the whole reported to this point by a number of nations to 577, based on an AFP tally.
The diplomats stated the whole on the morgue in Al-Muaisem, one of many greatest in Mecca, was 550.
The hajj is likely one of the 5 pillars of Islam and all Muslims with the means should full it at the very least as soon as.
The pilgrimage is more and more affected by local weather change, based on a Saudi examine printed final month that stated temperatures within the space the place rituals are carried out had been rising 0.4 levels Celsius (0.72 levels Fahrenheit) every decade.
Temperatures hit 51.8 levels Celsius (125 Fahrenheit) on the Grand Mosque in Mecca on Monday, the Saudi nationwide meteorology centre stated.
Warmth stress
Earlier on Tuesday, Egypt’s international ministry stated Cairo was collaborating with Saudi authorities on search operations for Egyptians who had gone lacking through the hajj.
Whereas a ministry assertion stated “a sure variety of deaths” had occurred, it didn’t specify whether or not Egyptians had been amongst them.
Saudi authorities have reported treating greater than 2,000 pilgrims affected by warmth stress however haven’t up to date that determine since Sunday and haven’t supplied info on fatalities.
At the very least 240 pilgrims had been reported lifeless by varied nations final yr, most of them Indonesians.
AFP journalists in Mina, exterior Mecca, on Monday noticed pilgrims pouring bottles of water over their heads as volunteers handed out chilly drinks and fast-melting chocolate ice cream to assist them hold cool.
Saudi officers had suggested pilgrims to make use of umbrellas, drink loads of water and keep away from publicity to the solar through the hottest hours of the day.
However most of the hajj rituals, together with the prayers on Mount Arafat which occurred on Saturday, contain being outside for hours within the daytime.
Some pilgrims described seeing immobile our bodies on the roadside and ambulance companies that appeared overwhelmed at instances.
Round 1.8 million pilgrims took half within the hajj this yr, 1.6 million of them from overseas, based on Saudi authorities.
Unregistered pilgrims
Every year tens of hundreds of pilgrims try and carry out the hajj by irregular channels as they can not afford the customarily pricey procedures for official hajj visas.
This locations these off-the-books pilgrims in danger as they can not entry air-conditioned amenities supplied by Saudi authorities alongside the hajj route.
One of many diplomats who spoke to AFP on Tuesday stated that the Egyptian loss of life toll was “completely” boosted by numerous unregistered Egyptian pilgrims.
“Irregular pilgrims brought on nice chaos within the Egyptian pilgrims’ camps, inflicting the collapse of companies,” stated an Egyptian official supervising the nation’s hajj mission.
“The pilgrims went with out meals, water, or air-con for a very long time.”
They died “from the warmth as a result of most individuals had no place” to take shelter.
Earlier this month, Saudi officers stated they’d cleared lots of of hundreds of unregistered pilgrims from Mecca forward of the hajj.
Different nations to report deaths through the hajj this yr embrace Indonesia, Iran and Senegal.
Most nations haven’t specified what number of deaths had been heat-related.
Saudi Well being Minister Fahd bin Abdul Rahman Al-Jalajel stated on Tuesday that well being plans for the hajj had “been efficiently carried out”, stopping main outbreaks of illness and different public well being threats, the official Saudi Press Company reported.
Well being officers “supplied digital consultations to over 5,800 pilgrims, primarily for heat-related diseases, enabling immediate intervention and mitigating the potential for a surge in instances,” SPA stated.
(Apart from the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV workers and is printed from a syndicated feed.)