More than 1,300 people were killed during the hajj amid a record heat wave
Kyiv • UNN
According to Saudi authorities, more than 1,300 people have died during the Hajj in Saudi Arabia this year, with 83% of the victims being unauthorized pilgrims who traveled long distances in direct sunlight without proper shelter and comfort.
Saudi Arabia said on Sunday that more than 1,300 people have died during the hajj pilgrimage this year - with "multiple cases" due to heat stress and "unauthorized" travel accounting for more than four out of five deaths, writes UNN with reference to CNN.
Details
"This year, the health system has looked at numerous cases of heat stress, and some people are still being monitored. Unfortunately, the number of deaths has reached 1,301," the Saudi government said in a statement, which published the first official data.
The statement said that 83% of the victims "were not allowed to perform Hajj" and "traveled long distances in direct sunlight, without proper shelter and comfort." Among the dead were "several elderly and chronically ill people," the report says, which states that the families of all the victims have now been identified.
Addition
Extreme heat has been cited as the main factor leading to hundreds of deaths and injuries reported this year during the Hajj. In Mecca, the holy city that is a central destination for Hajj pilgrims, temperatures rose to a record above 51 degrees Celsius on Monday. Authorities also say the problems are compounded by the number of unofficial pilgrimages.
