At least 550 pilgrims have lost their lives during this year's Hajj due to heat-related issues, according to Arab diplomats. The temperature at the Grand Mosque in Mecca reached 51.8 degrees Celsius (125 Fahrenheit) on Monday, as reported by the Saudi national meteorology centre. The majority of the deceased were Egyptians, with 323 primarily succumbing to heat-related illnesses. "All of them (the Egyptians) died because of the heat," said a diplomat, noting that one Egyptian died from injuries sustained during a minor crowd crush. The total death figure was obtained from the hospital morgue in Mecca's Al-Muaisem neighbourhood.
In addition to the Egyptian casualties, at least 60 Jordanians also died during the pilgrimage, bringing the total reported deaths from various countries to 577, according to an AFP tally. Diplomats confirmed that the Al-Muaisem morgue, one of the largest in Mecca, recorded a total of 550 deaths. Saudi authorities reported treating over 2,000 pilgrims for heat stress but have not provided updated figures or information on fatalities since Sunday.
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Despite Saudi officials advising pilgrims to use umbrellas, stay hydrated, and avoid sun exposure during the hottest hours, many Hajj rituals require extended periods outdoors during the day. Some pilgrims reported seeing motionless bodies along the roadside and overwhelmed ambulance services. This year, approximately 1.8 million pilgrims participated in the Hajj, with 1.6 million coming from abroad. However, tens of thousands of pilgrims attempt to perform the Hajj without official visas each year to save money, facing greater dangers as they lack access to air-conditioned facilities provided by Saudi authorities along the route.