Post by Jaga on Jun 21, 2024 22:13:18 GMT -7
This is a sad fact - at least 500 people died because of extreme heat. Many people came for the pilgrimage without a proper authorization. This is a problem
news.yahoo.com/news/saudi-arabia-shuts-pilgrims-air-151742857.html
Saudi Arabia shuts pilgrims out of air-conditioned areas as more than 1,000 die in extreme heat
Saudi Arabian officials shut illegal pilgrims out of air-conditioned rest areas in Mecca during extreme heat that killed more than 1,000 people on hajj.
More than half of the deaths were among unregistered worshippers who had not bought costly permits for the annual pilgrimage, which all Muslims with the means are encouraged to complete at least once.
The death toll from this year’s hajj exceeded 1,000, diplomats said, as temperatures hit 125.2F (51.8C) in Mecca this week.
“People were tired after being chased by security forces before Arafat day. They were exhausted,” one Arab diplomat said on Thursday, referring to Saturday’s day-long outdoor prayers that marked the hajj’s climax.
Saudi authorities reported clearing hundreds of thousands of unregistered pilgrims from Mecca earlier this month, but many still participated in the main rites which began last Friday.
Tens of thousands of pilgrims attempt to perform the hajj, which involves rituals performed in the summer heat, through irregular channels every year because they can’t afford the official permits.
Without official permits, they were not able to access air-conditioned spaces provided by Saudi authorities for the 1.8 million authorised pilgrims to cool down after hours of walking and praying outside.
Friends and family members have been searching for missing pilgrims. They searched hospitals and pleaded online for news, fearing the worst during the scorching temperatures.
Footage on social media showed bodies on the streets and one abandoned on the pavement covered with a sheet of metal. Other videos showed shrouded corpses lined up to be removed.
news.yahoo.com/news/saudi-arabia-shuts-pilgrims-air-151742857.html
Saudi Arabia shuts pilgrims out of air-conditioned areas as more than 1,000 die in extreme heat
Saudi Arabian officials shut illegal pilgrims out of air-conditioned rest areas in Mecca during extreme heat that killed more than 1,000 people on hajj.
More than half of the deaths were among unregistered worshippers who had not bought costly permits for the annual pilgrimage, which all Muslims with the means are encouraged to complete at least once.
The death toll from this year’s hajj exceeded 1,000, diplomats said, as temperatures hit 125.2F (51.8C) in Mecca this week.
“People were tired after being chased by security forces before Arafat day. They were exhausted,” one Arab diplomat said on Thursday, referring to Saturday’s day-long outdoor prayers that marked the hajj’s climax.
Saudi authorities reported clearing hundreds of thousands of unregistered pilgrims from Mecca earlier this month, but many still participated in the main rites which began last Friday.
Tens of thousands of pilgrims attempt to perform the hajj, which involves rituals performed in the summer heat, through irregular channels every year because they can’t afford the official permits.
Without official permits, they were not able to access air-conditioned spaces provided by Saudi authorities for the 1.8 million authorised pilgrims to cool down after hours of walking and praying outside.
Friends and family members have been searching for missing pilgrims. They searched hospitals and pleaded online for news, fearing the worst during the scorching temperatures.
Footage on social media showed bodies on the streets and one abandoned on the pavement covered with a sheet of metal. Other videos showed shrouded corpses lined up to be removed.