Mecca: Why did hundreds die in this year’s pilgrimage?

The pilgrimage to the city of Mecca, known as Hajj, was disrupted this year with the deaths of hundreds of pilgrims of different nationalities.

The Hajj is one of the world’s largest mass gatherings, attracting millions Saudi Arab annual.

this religious obligation, A once in a lifetime journey for MuslimsThis year officially ended on Wednesday, June 19.

The AFP news agency reported the death At least 922 people died, most due to the high temperatures, which were around 50ºC.

The BBC could not independently confirm the reported death toll. Saudi authorities did not officially respond to requests for comment on the deaths and criticism of the organisers.

He, however, reported the success of his health plans for this year’s pilgrimage.

,The Hajj season is free from public health outbreaks or threats“Despite the challenges posed by the large number of pilgrims and high temperatures,” Saudi Health Minister Fahad al-Jalayel said in a statement.

Officials indicated that about This year 1.83 million pilgrims took part in the ritualOf which 1.6 million came from abroad. The largest number of visitors from other countries were Pakistanis, Jordanians and Tunisians.

The BBC examines the factors that may have caused so many deaths at this year’s Hajj:

scorching heat in Saudi Arabia, Temperatures in the shade reach 51.8ºCThere is a major reason behind the high number of deaths.

Despite warnings from the Saudi Health Ministry to avoid exposure to heat and stay hydrated, Many pilgrims were victims of heat stress and heat stroke,

An Arab diplomat held nearly all of them responsible 658 Egyptian citizens died reported so far. Many of these pilgrims lacked proper permits for the Hajj, potentially limiting their access to organisational support and resources.

,It was only by the grace of God that I was savedBecause it was incredibly hot,” Nigerian pilgrim Aisha Idris told the BBC.

“They closed all the doors Kaaba“, he said, referring to the stone building located in the center of The Sacred MosqueIslam’s most important shrine. “We had to use the roof, which was scorching.”

“I had to use an umbrella and kept getting wet Zam Zam Water” He said in reference to Holy water Which is extracted from a well in Mecca.

,I thought I was going to faint And someone had to help me with an umbrella. “I didn’t expect the heat to be so intense,” he said.

The death of a pilgrim named Naeem from heat stroke leaves his family searching for answers.

“Communication with my mother stopped suddenly. We spent days looking for her, only to find out that she had died during Hajj,” her son said, adding that her relatives would respect her wish. will be buried in Mecca,

Pilgrims face risks heat, strenuous physical activity, wide open spaces and the fact that many people are elderly or may be ill.

Heat-related deaths during Hajj are not new and have been recorded since the 15th century.

Last year, Saudi authorities reported more than 2,000 cases of heat stress among pilgrims.

Scientists have warned that global warming will make the situation worse.

“The Hajj has been taking place in a warm climate for more than a millennium, but the climate crisis is exacerbating these conditions,” Karl-Friedrich Schleussner, a climate scientist and consultant at Climate Analytics, told the news agency.

Their research shows that with a 1.5°C increase in global temperatures above pre-industrial levels, The risk of heat stroke can increase up to five times during Hajj.

Current projections indicate that the world could warm by 1.5°C by the 2030s, posing challenges for future pilgrims.

According to several testimonies, mismanagement by Saudi authorities aggravated the extreme conditions, leading to a crisis in several areas designated for pilgrims.

,There was no air conditioning in our store in Mecca“ said Amina (name changed), a 38-year-old woman from Islamabad. “The installed refrigerators did not have water most of the time.”

,The atmosphere in these shops was so suffocating that we were drenched in sweat and it was a horrible experience“He added.

“Many people fainted because of the overcrowding in the tents and the extreme heat,” said Fauziah, a pilgrim from Jakarta. “We waited until evening for dinner, so people in the tent were hungry.”

Pilgrims were also forced to walk on foot long distance in scorching heata situation which some blamed on road blockages and lack of transport.

,They put us on a 7 kilometre path without water or shade“The police had put up barricades, forcing us to walk unnecessarily long distances,” said a Pakistani pilgrim on condition of anonymity.

He specified that the Saudi government had vehicles, but they were not used to transport pilgrims who were sick and unconscious due to the heat.

“In the fields, People were kept like chickens or animals on the farm. “There was no space to pass between the beds and the few bathrooms were inadequate for hundreds of people.”

The Saudi Transport Authority assured that it has done so Over 27,000 buses to transport pilgrims,

“This is my 18th Hajj. In my experience, the Saudi controllers are not facilitators. They control, but they don’t help,” said Mohammed Acha, an organiser of a private pilgrimage group.

during summer, An average pilgrim may have to walk at least 15 kilometres per day. This makes them susceptible to heat stroke, fatigue and dehydration, Acha said.

“Earlier there were diversions available to reach the tents, but now all such routes have been closed. As a result, a normal pilgrim, even if staying in a Category A tent in Zone I, has to walk 2.5 kilometres in the heat to go to his shop,” he explained.

,If there is an emergency on this route, no one will arrive for 30 minutes. “There are no life-saving measures on these roads, there are no water points,” Acha said.

Saudi authorities say they provided additional medical services for the Hajj. However, many pilgrims claim they did not receive adequate care.

According to many pilgrims, There was no ambulance or first aid available For people suffering from heat exhaustion or other health problems.

Amina said a colleague needed oxygen due to claustrophobia and despite his desperate pleas, the ambulance took over 25 minutes to arrive.

“Eventually an ambulance came and the doctor didn’t even look at him for two seconds. He said nothing happened to him and he left,” he said.

However, the Saudi health minister highlighted that 189 hospitals, health centres and mobile clinics had been enabled Combined capacity of over 6,500 beds and over 40,000 people For medical, technical, administrative and volunteer teams.

To perform the Hajj a pilgrim must apply for a special visa.But some people try to travel without proper documentation.

The issue of “unofficial Hajj” is believed to contribute to the excess deaths.

Pilgrims without proper documentation often evade authorities, even when they need assistance. In fact, officials blame them to some extent for the overcrowding in stores.

“We suspect that those using non-hajj visas have infiltrated the pilgrimage sites,” said Mustolih Siradj, chairman of Indonesia’s National Hajj and Umrah Commission.

“Anyone who does not have a Hajj visa will not be tolerated and will have to return to their country,” Saad al-Quraishi, an adviser to the National Committee for Hajj and Umrah, told the BBC.

Many pilgrims go on the Hajj towards the end of their lives, either after saving for many years or in the hope that their death will coincide with the pilgrimage.

The Al Baqi cemetery in Saudi Arabia was founded by the Prophet Muhammad.Which makes it one of the holiest cemeteries in the Islamic tradition.

When a pilgrim dies during the journey, his death is reported to the Hutch Mission. A bracelet or neck ID is worn to confirm your identity. A medical certificate is then issued and Saudi Arabia issues a death certificate.

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