98 Indians have died in Saudi Arabia during Hajj
The Indian Foreign Ministry has confirmed the death of 98 Indian nationals due to natural causes during this year's Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia. "The causes are natural illness and old age," the Ministry of External Affairs added. In total, 1,081 deaths have been reported during the pilgrimage, including pilgrims from Jordan, Indonesia, Iran, Senegal, and Tunisia.
Health measures for pilgrims amid rising heat
In light of the deaths, the ministry has released a document detailing health services available to pilgrims. The measures include revising the medical screening and fitness certificate, providing health cards and vaccines, establishing health desks at embarkation points, deploying healthcare personnel, and setting up medical infrastructure. These initiatives aim to assess the health of Hajj applicants in India and support them during their journey amid extreme weather conditions.
Global death toll rises amid unforgiving heat
The hajj pilgrimage is one of Islam's five pillars, and all Muslims with the means must fulfill this religious requirement at least once in their lifetime. This year's pilgrimage was marked by a sweltering heatwave, with temperatures reaching 50 degrees Celsius, the hottest in decades. A Saudi study found that temperatures in the pilgrimage area have climbed by 0.4 degrees Celsius per decade. In 2023, more than 200 pilgrims died at Hajj, and over 2,000 people suffered from heat-related stress.
Climate change can exacerbate issue
Even though Saudi has invested billions in crowd control and security measures for the yearly five-day pilgrimage, it is challenging to guarantee everyone's safety due to the large number of attendees. The risk can increase due to climate change. A 2019 study by Massachusetts Institute of Technology experts found that even if the world mitigates the effects of climate change, the Hajj would be held in temperatures above an "extreme danger threshold" from 2047 to 2052 and 2079 to 2086.
