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At least 19 Jordanian and Iranian pilgrims died during the Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia as temperatures soared, authorities from both countries said on Sunday.
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“fourteen Jordan Jordan’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement that “20 pilgrims died and 17 were missing during the Hajj rituals.”
The ministry later confirmed that the 14 people “died from heat stroke due to the extreme heat wave.”
“So far, five Iranian pilgrims have been killed in the pilgrimage,” said Pirhossein Koolivand, president of the Iranian Red Crescent Society. Mecca and Medina during this year’s Hajj,” without specifying how they died.
The Hajj is one of the largest religious gatherings in the world. It is one of the five pillars of Islam and must be performed at least once by all able Muslims.
Some 1.8 million Muslims are taking part in the annual pilgrimage this year, during which temperatures have reached well above 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit).
Many rituals are performed outdoors on foot, which presents challenges for older adults.
Saudi Arabia No information on the death toll has been provided.
But the kingdom has implemented measures to mitigate the heat, including setting up climate-controlled zones, distributing water and offering sun protection advice to pilgrims.
At least 240 people died during the Hajj last year, many of them from Indonesia, according to data released by countries, which do not specify the causes of death.
Saudi officials told AFP this week that more than 10,000 cases of heat-related illness were recorded last year, 10 percent of which were heat stroke.
A Saudi study shows that temperatures in the region are rising by 0.4 degrees Celsius per decade, and the rate of deterioration may outstrip the effectiveness of mitigation measures.
(AFP)
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