The Haj pilgrimage this year has tragically claimed the lives of 68 Indian nationals due to a combination of natural causes and severe weather conditions, according to a diplomat in Saudi Arabia. This brings the total death toll during this year’s Haj to over 600, with reports citing heat-related fatalities predominantly among Egyptian pilgrims.
The extreme heat has also resulted in over 2,700 cases of heat exhaustion reported in Saudi Arabia alone. Other countries including Indonesia, Iran, Senegal, Tunisia, and Iraq’s Kurdistan region have also confirmed fatalities, although specific causes have not always been specified. Despite these challenges, the diplomat noted that while fatalities are significant, they are not considered unusually high compared to previous years, underscoring the ongoing risks faced during the Haj season amidst rising temperatures in the pilgrimage area.