On Monday (June 17), the temperature reached 51.8 °C in the shade at the Grand Mosque, in Mecca, Saudi Arabia
The intense heat killed 577 Muslim pilgrims on their way to Mecca, according to the news agency AFP, with data from Saudi Arabian diplomats. Among the victims are believers from Egypt, Tunisia, Indonesia, Iran, Senegal and Jordan.
According to Saudi state TV, on Monday (June 17, 2024), the temperature reached 51.8ºC in the shade at the Grand Mosque, in Mecca. The data, however, does not specify whether the deaths occurred after the official start of the pilgrimage, on Friday (June 14), or whether deaths had already been recorded among faithful who started the route early.
According to Saudi authorities, the pilgrimage, called hajj, attracted around 1.8 million people this year, 1.6 million of whom are foreigners.
Measures were adopted to mitigate the high temperature, such as the installation of nebulizers and guards spraying water on people. Last year, at least 240 pilgrims died on the hajj, according to the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Health.
Source: https://www.poder360.com.br/internacional/577-muculmanos-morrem-por-causa-do-calor-em-peregrinacao-a-meca/
