Saudi Arabia said on Sunday that the death toll of pilgrims in the extreme heat had exceeded 1,300, with many killed without official permission.
“Unfortunately, the death toll has reached 1,301, 83% of whom were not allowed to perform the Hajj and walk long distances in direct sunlight without adequate shelter or comfort,” Saudi Arabia’s official news agency said.
The dead pilgrims are from more than 10 countries, from the United States to Indonesia, and some governments are still updating the numbers.
Arab diplomats said last week that 658 of the dead were Egyptians, 630 of whom were unregistered pilgrims.
According to Saudi Arabia’s National Meteorological Center, heat is the most common cause of death as temperatures in Mecca soared to 51.8°C this year.
Riyadh did not comment publicly on the death or issue its own compensation until Sunday.
However, a senior Saudi official on Friday reported a partial death toll of 577 for the two busiest days of the hajj: June 15, when pilgrims prayed for several hours on the day Mount Arafat burned, and June 16. Throwing Devil Rituals in the Mine.
Officials also defended Riyadh’s response, saying: “The country has not failed, but it has been blamed by people who do not appreciate the risks.”
According to SPA, Saudi Health Minister Fahd Al Jalajel on Sunday described the management of this year’s hajj as “very good”.
The health system “provides more than 465,000 specialized medical services, including 141,000 services for those who do not have official permission to perform Hajj,” SPA said, citing an interview with Saudi Arabia’s Al-Ekhbariya channel.
Saudi officials said 1.8 million pilgrims participated this year, compared with 1.6 million last year.
