The annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, known as the Hajj, has been marred by an unprecedented tragedy this year, with the death toll surpassing 1,000 individuals.
Egypt alone has reported over 650 deaths. On June 20, it was noted that 58 Egyptians were among the newly reported deaths. Meanwhile, the Emergency Complex in Mecca has become a sad gathering point for grieving families. Hundreds have arrived to identify the bodies of their loved ones, or to desperately seek information about those who are missing.This devastating event adds to a history of tragedies that have marred the pilgrimage.In 2015, a crowd crush during the “Rami al-Jamarat” ritual in Mina resulted in over 2,400 deaths, making it one of the deadliest disasters in the history of mass gatherings.
While Saudi authorities have not released official figures on the death toll, they have reported more than 2,700 cases of heat exhaustion since Sunday.at an alarming rate, with more frequent and severe heatwaves. This rising temperature, coupled with higher humidity, makes conditions increasingly dangerous without artificial cooling.