Death toll from Hajj heatwave crosses 1,300 mark

The death toll from the heatwave during the recently concluded Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia has crossed the 1,300 mark, officials confirmed on Monday.

"Regrettably, the number of mortalities reached 1,301, with 83% being unauthorised to perform Hajj and having walked long distances under direct sunlight, without adequate shelter or comfort," Saudi Press Agency said in a report.

Earlier, the Saudi officials on condition of anonymity informed that most pilgrims who died during the holy sojourn lacked permits, which may have limited their access to air-conditioned facilities designated for authorised pilgrims.

According to Arab diplomats, among the pilgrims who died, 658 were Egyptians, most of whom succumbed to heat-related illnesses.

Almost 58 Pakistanis also died during the annual ritual this year, the Director General of the country’s Hajj Mission, Abdul Wahab Soomro confirmed.

The fatalities also included at least 144 Indonesians, 68 Indians, 60 Jordanians, 35 Tunisians, 11 Iranians and three Senegalese, as per the report published by AFP.

However, the Saudi health minister, Fahd Al Jalajel, lauded this year's Hajj management, describing it as "successful".

SPA reported citing Jalajel that the health ministry "provided more than 465,000 specialised treatment services, including 141,000 services to those who didn't obtain official authorisation to perform Hajj". 

Over 1.8 million pilgrims from across the world, including the elderly people, women, and children, performed the annual sacred ritual this year in Saudi Arabia.