Hajj in Saudi Arabia: Extreme heat in Mecca
Millions of Muslims make the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca every year. This year, extreme temperatures of more than 50 degrees Celsius claimed hundreds of lives, turning the pilgrimage into a drama for many families.
Heatwave during Hajj
Hundreds of Muslim pilgrims have died in the scorching heat during this year's pilgrimage to Mecca. The AFP news agency reports over 1,000 deaths, citing diplomats. Thousands of believers are being treated in hospitals for heat-related illnesses. Family members are using social media to search for missing relatives.
Millions of Muslims from around the world came to Saudi Arabia
The Saudi authorities expected around 1.8 million pilgrims in Mecca. The city of millions in western Saudi Arabia is home to the holy mosque and the Kabaa, both of which are central pilgrimage sites in Islam. With so many people in such a confined space, fatal tent fires, mass panics and other accidents aren't unusual.
Cooling is necessary
The authorities reported temperatures of more than 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit) in the shade. People were asked to keep hydrated, use umbrellas and avoid being outside during the midday heat if possible. This pilgrim cools down with a mist of water from a water bottle to protect himself from dangerous heatstroke.
First aid after heat stroke
Paramedics carry a patient with heatstroke to the medical care center in Mina. The Saudi Ministry of Health had reported that 2,700 people are being treated in hospital for heat-related emergencies. Mina is located in the desert east of the city of Mecca, on the way to Arafat Hill, and accommodates pilgrims in huge tent sites.
Heat victims from Egypt, Senegal and Jordan
Islam is one of the world's largest religions. Muslims from 22 countries made the pilgrimage to Mecca this year. Among the fatalities were more than 650 Egyptian believers and 183 pilgrims from Indonesia. People from Senegal, Tunisia, Jordan and Iran have also fallen victim to the extreme heat.
Stoning the devil
Toward the end of their pilgrimage, the faithful gather in Mina for the ritual stoning of Satan. There, they throw small stones against a stone wall that symbolizes the devil.
Risky pilgrimage without a visa
From Mina, the pilgrims travel back to Mecca and end their journey with the Tawaf, the circumambulation of the Kabaa. To save money, tens of thousands of believers make the pilgrimage every year without a so-called Hajj visa. This is a dangerous undertaking, because without the visa they have no access to the air-conditioned facilities along the pilgrimage route.