Hajj Deaths: 98 Indian Pilgrims Died In Mecca Amid Intense Heatwave In Saudi Arabia, Says MEA

Hajj Deaths: The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Friday informed that as many as ninety-eight Indian pilgrims have died so far during this year’s annual Hajj pilgrimage in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, amidst a brutal heatwave which has scorched the middle-eastern nation.

Addressing the weekly media briefing on Friday, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said a total of 98 Indian citizens have died due to “natural causes” and “old age” during the Hajj period in Mecca so far this year.

“This year, 1,75000 Indian pilgrims visited Mecca for Hajj. The Hajj period is from May 9 to July 22. This year, till now, 98 deaths have been reported,” Jaiswal said, adding that the deaths have been caused due to natural causes, chronic illnesses, and old age.

Six people died on the day of Arafat and four were accident-related deaths, the MEA spokesperson said while responding to a question on the deaths of Indians during Hajj.

He said that 187 Indians had died during the Hajj pilgrimage last year.

On Tuesday, Arab diplomats revealed that at least 550 Hajj pilgrims have died so far this year as Saudi Arabia reels under a searing heatwave with temperatures surging to above 50 degrees Celsius, the highest in recent decades.

Most of the deaths have been attributed to heat stroke caused by the soaring temperatures, with mercury in the pilgrimage area in Mecca having risen by 0.4 degrees Celsius per decade, according to a Saudi study.

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Last week, ahead of Eid Al-Adha, Saudi Health Minister Fahd Al-Jalajel asked pilgrims to avoid peak sun hours (11 am to 4 pm) when performing their remaining Hajj rituals. The Minister urged them to avoid direct sun exposure and stay away from hot surfaces, stressing that prevention is key.

The ministry’s spokesperson reported that 2,764 cases of heat stress were treated on the first day of Eid.

“Pilgrims have undertaken a tremendous journey to perform Hajj,” the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) quoted the spokesperson as saying.

“Our role is to support them fully. We believe in prevention before treatment. We urge pilgrims to follow safety guidelines, such as using umbrellas during rituals and staying hydrated.”

Millions of Muslims converge on Mecca each year during to undertake the annual Hajj pilgrimage which is one of the five pillars of Islam. Every able-bodied Muslim who has the necessary financial means is obliged to undertake the Hajj at least once in their lifetime.

(With inputs from agencies)