Numerous Indian pilgrims lost their lives at Saudi for rounds at Hajj

During this year’s Hajj pilgrimage, 68 Indian nationals died due to extreme heat, contributing to a total of over 600 fatalities, as reported by AFP

A Saudi Arabian diplomat confirmed that 68 Indians were among the dead, attributing the causes to natural reasons, including age and severe weather conditions. The latest count comes after two Arab diplomats reported 550 deaths earlier in the week, including 323 Egyptians and 60 Jordanians, primarily due to heat. Additional deaths were reported by Indonesia, Iran, Senegal, Tunisia, and Iraq’s Kurdistan region, although specific causes were often not detailed. The AFP reports the total death toll has reached 645. Last year, over 200 pilgrims died, mostly Indonesians.

This year, Saudi Arabia has not provided specific fatality data but noted over 2,700 cases of “heat exhaustion” on a single day. An Indian diplomat mentioned that some Indian pilgrims are missing, a common occurrence each year, and did not find the current number of fatalities unusually high compared to previous years. “It’s somewhat similar to last year, but we will know more soon.” The Hajj has been occurring during the hot Saudi summer for several years. A recent study highlighted that temperatures in the pilgrimage area are increasing by 0.4 degrees Celsius each decade, exacerbating the risks associated with the pilgrimage.