A Saudi diplomat disclosed on Wednesday that 68 Indian nationals died during this year's hajj pilgrimage, which was marked by extreme heat, bringing the total death toll to more than 600. "We have confirmed approximately 68 deaths... Some were due to natural causes, including many elderly pilgrims. Others were attributed to the weather conditions," said the diplomat, who spoke anonymously to AFP.
The updated figure follows reports from two Arab diplomats on Tuesday indicating 550 deaths during the hajj, a fundamental Islamic ritual obligatory for all Muslims who are able to perform it at least once in their lifetime. Among the reported fatalities were 323 Egyptians and 60 Jordanians, with one diplomat noting that most of the Egyptian deaths were due to the intense heat.
Additional fatalities have been acknowledged by Indonesia, Iran, Senegal, Tunisia, and Iraq's Kurdistan region, although specific causes have not always been disclosed by authorities. According to AFP's count, the current total death toll stands at 645.
Last year, over 200 pilgrims were reported deceased, primarily from Indonesia. In recent years, the hajj has coincided with the scorching summer months in Saudi Arabia.