14 pilgrims dead, 17 missing as heatstroke strikes in Mecca

Jordan’s official news agency on Sunday  reported that 14 Jordanian pilgrims have died while performing rituals related to the hajj and 17 others missing.

The agency said the pilgrims died as a result of exposure to extreme sun and heat, based on a report from Jordan’s Foreign Ministry.

Temperatures in Mecca reached nearly 110 degrees Fahrenheit on Sunday with recent studies indicating that climate change will increase health risks there.

On Saturday, the country’s medical centre for heat exhaustion treated 225 pilgrims for heat stress and fatigue.

Meanwhile, this is not the first death during pilgrimage, previous pilgrimages have also seen fatalities, including those caused by stampedes.

In 2015, a stampede resulted in over 700 deaths. In recent years, many pilgrims, often elderly, have suffered from heat stress, with numerous fatalities due to extreme heat.

As one of the five pillars of Islam, the pilgrimage involves several outdoor rituals in Mecca and the surrounding desert, such as praying outside the Great Mosque and spending a day in prayer at Mount Arafat, often under intense sunlight.

Scientists have warned that when the hajj, which follows the lunar calendar, occurs during the summer, as it did this year, weather conditions can be particularly harsh.

To mitigate heat stress, Saudi authorities have implemented relief measures, including using water mist sprays to cool the air and providing water, umbrellas, and air-conditioned transportation for pilgrims, which scientists say have helped reduce heat-related cases.