2024 Hajj extreme heat disaster
| Date | June 16, 2024 – ongoing |
|---|---|
| Location | Mecca, Saudi Arabia |
| Cause | Extreme heat |
| Participants | 1.8 million |
| Outcome | Fatalities of pilgrims from multiple countries |
| Deaths | 922 |
| Non-fatal injuries | 2,764 |
| Hottest temperature reported in Mecca: 51.8 °C (125.2 °F) | |
Since 16 June 2024, at least 922 people on the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca died due to extreme heat, with temperatures exceeding 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit).[1] The hottest recorded temperature reported in the Grand Mosque of Mecca was 51.8 °C (125.2 °F).[2] At least 2,764 cases of heat-related illness were reported during 16 June.[3] One person was killed in a minor crowd crush.[4]
Casualties
The 2024 Hajj attracted 1.8 million pilgrims. Of the deceased, at least 323 were Egyptian pilgrims. Jordanian diplomates stated that 60 Jordanians also died from extreme heat.[4] Tunisia's foreign ministry reported that at least 35 Tunisian pilgrims died during "a sharp rise in temperatures". Indonesia reported 132 Indonesian deaths, at least three of which were confirmed to be due to heat stroke. Thirteen pilgrims from Kurdistan Region in Iraq were reported dead, with heat claimed to be "one of the main reasons". Five women pilgrims from Jammu and Kashmir territory of India succumbed to heat stroke on Mount Arafat and in Muzdalifah.[5] Other pilgrims from Iran and Senegal were reported to have died.[6] and 68 indians some of them because of natural causes and others due to the weather conditions.[7]
Several pilgrims reported seeing pilgrims laying along the roadside motionless, and noted that ambulance services repeatedly could not supply enough attention relative to the number of casualties.
An Egyptian diplomat stated that a large number of pilgrims performed the Hajj without registration because they couldn't afford the official procedures, and it could have exacerbated the number of Egyptian casualties and injuries in general caused by extreme heat. Reasons for this included them not being able to access air-conditioned facilities or official food or water stations, leading to prolonged periods of dehydration, exposure to, and susceptibility to the extreme heat. The diplomat also stated that the massive influx of unregistered pilgrims had likely overwhelmed the facilities in place, causing disorder in how food, water, and medical services were distributed.[2]
On 19 June, the death toll increased to 922 people, including 600 Egyptians.[8]
| Nationality | Deaths | Ref |
|---|---|---|
| Egypt | 600 | [8] |
| India | 68 | |
| Indonesia | 144 | [9] |
| Iran | ||
| Jordan | 60 | |
| Senegal | ||
| Tunisia | 35 | [10] |
See also
References
- ^ "More than 550 hajj pilgrims die in Mecca as temperatures exceed 50C | Hajj | The Guardian". amp.theguardian.com. Archived from the original on 19 June 2024. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
- ^ a b "At least 550 hajj pilgrims die in scorching temperatures". ABC News. 19 June 2024. Archived from the original on 19 June 2024. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
- ^ "Saudi Arabia: Over 2,700 cases of heat exhaustion, sunstroke recorded during Haj – Alwast News". enews.alwast.net. 18 June 2024. Archived from the original on 19 June 2024. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
- ^ a b "More than 300 Egyptians die from heat during Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia, diplomats say – CBS News". www.cbsnews.com. 18 June 2024. Archived from the original on 19 June 2024. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
- ^ "Five Kashmiri Women Die Of Heat Stroke During Hajj". Kashmir Observer. 18 June 2024. Archived from the original on 19 June 2024. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
- ^ "Jordan, Tunisia report additional hajj heat deaths". The New Arab. 19 June 2024. Archived from the original on 19 June 2024. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
- ^ "68 Hajj pilgrims from India dead amid high summer heat in Mecca: Diplomat". Archived from the original on 19 June 2024. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
- ^ a b "Loved ones search for missing as hajj death toll passes 900". Al Monitor. 19 June 2024. Archived from the original on 19 June 2024. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
- ^ "Hundreds of Hajj pilgrims reported dead amid lethal heatwave". euronews. 19 June 2024. Archived from the original on 19 June 2024. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
- ^ Vinograd, Cassandra; Mekay, Emad (19 June 2024). "A Deadly Toll as an Intense Heat Grips Saudi Arabia". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 19 June 2024. Retrieved 19 June 2024.