Saudi Arabia confirmed that 1,300 people died on pilgrimage to Mecca

The Saudi Arabian government reported on Sunday that 1,300 people lost their lives on this year’s Hajj pilgrimage, most of them due to stress from extreme heat, and said that about 83% of the dead were “unauthorized”. Every year, the pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia leads thousands of people to face extreme weather conditions, motivated by their fervent religious beliefs. Recognized as one of the largest gatherings in the world, the Hajj ended this year by bringing together approximately 1.83 million pilgrims and ended on Wednesday, June 19. However, throughout the world it was in the news due to the number of people who died due to the extreme heat, with temperatures hovering around 50ºC. “The health system has treated numerous cases of heat stress this year, and some people are still receiving care. Unfortunately, the number of fatalities rose to 1,301,” the Saudi government explained in a statement quoted by the media CNN. In this line, Saudi Arabia added that about 83% of the deceased “were not authorized to perform the Hajj” and “walked long distances in direct sunlight, without adequate shelter or comfort.”

Original source in Spanish