At least 68 Indian nationals have been confirmed dead during this year’s Hajj pilgrimage, according to a diplomat in Saudi Arabia.
Several Indians are also reported missing. This comes amid record-high temperatures in the Saudi holy city of Mecca, and the deaths of 550 pilgrims this year.
“We have confirmed around 68 dead… Some are because of natural causes and we had many old pilgrims. And some are due to the weather conditions, that’s what we assume,” the diplomat told the news agency AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The diplomat also said that many Indian nationals are reported missing, but declined to give their exact numbers.
“This is a recurring occurrence every year,” he stated, informing us that the situation is similar to previous years, with further details expected soon.
millions annually to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, during the Islamic month of Dhu al-Hijjah. Every Muslim is obligated to fulfill this religious duty at least once in their lifetime.
This year’s pilgrimage was marked by intense heat and rising temperatures, the highest in recent decades.
A Saudi study revealed that temperatures in the pilgrimage area have increased by 0.4 degrees Celsius per decade. In 2023, over 200 pilgrims died during Hajj, and over 2,000 people suffered from heat-related stress as temperatures reached as high as 48 degrees Celsius.
Deaths have been reported among pilgrims from various countries, including Iran, Indonesia, Tunisia, Senegal, and Iraq’s Kurdistan region. Authorities from these countries have not commented on the deaths.
