The death toll from this year’s Hajj has surpassed 1,000, according to an AFP tally released on Thursday, with more than half of the deceased being unregistered worshippers who undertook the pilgrimage in the extreme heat of Saudi Arabia.
The newly reported fatalities on Thursday included 58 Egyptians, an Arab diplomat revealed, bringing Egypt’s total to 658, of which 630 were unregistered pilgrims.
In total, around 10 countries have reported 1,081 deaths during the annual pilgrimage, a fundamental duty for Muslims who are financially and physically able to perform it at least once in their lifetime.
The death figures have been gathered from official statements and diplomats managing their countries’ Hajj responses.
This year’s Hajj, determined by the lunar Islamic calendar, occurred during Saudi Arabia’s scorching summer.
The national meteorological center recorded a high of 51.8 degrees Celsius this week at Makkah’s Grand Mosque.
A Saudi study published last month indicated that temperatures in the region are rising by 0.4°C each decade.
Annually, tens of thousands of pilgrims attempt to perform the Hajj through unofficial channels due to the high cost of official permits.
Despite Saudi authorities clearing hundreds of thousands of unregistered pilgrims from Makkah this month, many still managed to participate in the main rites, which began last Friday.
