Jordan, Tunisia, Iran and Indonesia report deaths of citizens at Hajj

Saudi Arabia confirms thousands of heat exhaustion cases, although the cause of deaths is unclear

Muslim pilgrims use umbrellas to shelter from the sun as they arrive for the 'stoning of the devil', one of the final rites of Hajj, in Mina on Tuesday. AP Photo

At least 200 Hajj pilgrims have died during this year’s pilgrimage, according to official estimates from Jordan, Tunisia, Iran and Indonesia.

There are fears the actual death toll might be higher amid efforts to locate missing pilgrims, and official figures revealing that thousands of pilgrims suffered heat exhaustion.

Around 1.8 million pilgrims performed Hajj over Eid Al Adha this year, with tens of thousands completing the final circumambulation of the Kaaba in Makkah on Wednesday.

Saudi Arabia has not issued any official death toll, but several individual countries have announced the numbers of their citizens who died.

Indonesia's health ministry reported that 144 pilgrims died on Hajj this year, without specifying their cause of death.

Jordan’s foreign ministry said that 41 burial certificates for Jordanian citizens had been issued, requesting their burial in Makkah, saying they had succumbed to heat exhaustion. The ministry added that 22 remained missing.

The Islamic Republic of Iran News Network said 11 of its citizens had died, but like several reports on the fatalities, did not specify whether heat was the cause.

Tunisia reported that at least 35 Tunisian pilgrims had died amid a "sharp rise in temperatures" in Saudi Arabia.

Egypt said it was “exerting intensive efforts, in co-ordination with the Saudi authorities, to follow up on the search for Egyptian citizens missing while performing the Hajj rituals”.

It said its consulate in Jeddah had established an emergency hotline for concerned citizens unable to contact family members.

Saudi health authorities had warned that temperatures, reaching 51.8°C on Monday, were dangerously high and urged people to avoid being in direct sun between 11am and 4pm daily.

Authorities said that on Sunday alone, 2,700 people had suffered “heat exhaustion”.

The previous day, the Ministry of Health issued guidance via the official Saudi Press Agency, urging pilgrims “to exercise caution, due to the prevailing high temperatures at the holy sites”.

“Pilgrims are strongly advised to take all the necessary precautions to protect their health and safety,” the ministry said. “This includes using umbrellas to avoid direct sun exposure, staying hydrated by drinking water regularly (even if not feeling thirsty), following all health instructions and advice, and avoiding unnecessary exposure to sun.”