Tragic toll at Hajj pilgrimage: 68 Indian nationals among 645 total deaths

During this year’s Hajj pilgrimage, a deeply significant religious event for Muslims around the globe, at least 68 Indian nationals have tragically lost their lives. The toll was confirmed by a diplomat from Saudi Arabia, who spoke to AFP news agency on the condition of anonymity. The deaths have been attributed to natural causes and severe weather conditions, with the pilgrimage coinciding with extreme temperatures reaching up to 48℃ in Mecca, Saudi Arabia.

The diplomat reported that the conditions this year did not significantly deviate from the previous year, but the cumulative death toll for this season’s Hajj stands at 645. In comparison, over 200 pilgrims died last year. The increase in fatalities this year could be partly due to the rising temperatures, which have been observed to increase by about 0.4 degrees Celsius per decade according to a recent Saudi study.

68 Indian nationals among the 645 deaths reported during Hajj 2024

This year, the Hajj attracted millions of Muslims, fulfilling one of Islam’s Five Pillars, which mandates that every able-bodied Muslim should undertake this pilgrimage at least once in their lifetime. However, the intense heat has not only affected Indian pilgrims but also resulted in deaths among other nationalities, including Egyptians, Jordanians, Iranians, Indonesians, Tunisians, Senegalese, and Kurds from Iraq. While heat stress has impacted over 2,000 pilgrims, exact causes for many deaths remain unspecified by authorities.

The recurring heat-related issues during Hajj raise significant concerns about the safety and well-being of pilgrims, especially as climate conditions become harsher. It suggests an urgent need for enhanced measures to protect pilgrims from extreme weather conditions, perhaps through improved medical facilities, better hydration solutions, and more efficient crowd management during peak heat periods.