Hundreds of people have died this week in Saudi Arabia from suspected heat-related illness while performing the Hajj pilgrimage. While the death toll was not immediately available, estimates have ranged from 550 people to over 600 as of this writing.
The five-day Hajj pilgrimage is a sacred Islamic journey to the city of Mecca involving a series of rituals (see more). It is one of the largest mass gatherings in the world, this year attracting over 1.8 million people. While details surrounding the reported deaths were not available, temperatures this week reportedly surpassed 125 degrees Fahrenheit in the shade and over 2,700 people were confirmed to have been treated for heat-related illness.
While security efforts at the Hajj have worked to reduce the threat of deadly crowd surges, heat is also increasingly a concern. Dates for the Hajj follow a lunar calendar moving between seasons, with researchers warning the years 2047-52 and 2079-86 may pose a heightened heat risk for Hajj pilgrims.
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