What is behind the deaths during this year’s Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia?

Hundreds of people are said to have died during the Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia – most of them due to the extreme heat when temperatures rose to over 51 degrees Celsius.

The AFP news agency quoted an Arab diplomat as saying that 658 Egyptians had died. Indonesia said more than 200 of its citizens had died. India said 98 people had died.

Pakistan, Malaysia, Jordan, Iran, Senegal, Sudan and the autonomous Kurdistan Region of Iraq have also confirmed deaths. The US believes several Americans have died, the Wall Street Journal reported. Friends and relatives are searching for the missing in hospitals and posting messages on the Internet.

Jordan said on Friday it had arrested several travel agents that facilitated the unofficial travel of Muslim pilgrims to Mecca. Similar investigations are underway in Egypt. Later on Friday, Tunisian President Kais Saied fired the minister of religious affairs after local media reported that 49 Tunisians had died. A statement said most of the dead were unregistered pilgrims.

The Hajj is the annual pilgrimage of Muslims to the holy city of Mecca. All Muslims who are financially and physically able must complete the pilgrimage at least once in their lives. According to Saudi Arabia, about 1.8 million people took part this year.

More than half of the fatalities were unregistered pilgrims who had joined the hajj illegally and therefore did not have access to cooling facilities such as air-conditioned tents and buses, AFP reported.

Saudi Arabia has increased security measures during the hajj in recent years, but still faces criticism for not doing enough, especially for unregistered pilgrims. The country has not yet commented on the deaths.

Here are some of the factors that contributed to the deaths.

The unprecedented heat waves in Saudi Arabia are considered to be the main cause of the high number of deaths.

Despite warnings from the Saudi Ministry of Health to avoid heat exposure and drink plenty of fluids, many pilgrims suffered heat stress and heat stroke.

“It was only by God’s grace that I survived because it was incredibly hot,” says Aisha Idris, a Nigerian pilgrim, in an interview with BBC World Service’s Newsday.

“I had to use an umbrella and constantly pour Zamzam (holy water) on myself,” she said.

Another pilgrim, Naim, reportedly died of heat stroke and her family is now searching for answers.

“Communication with my mother suddenly stopped. We spent days searching, only to find out that she had died during the Hajj,” her son told BBC News Arabic, adding that they would honor her wish to be buried in Mecca.

Pilgrims face dangers due to the unaccustomed heat, strenuous physical activity and wide open spaces. Many are also old or sick.

However, heat-related deaths during Hajj are nothing new and have been recorded since the 15th century.

Scientists warn that global warming will worsen conditions.

“The Hajj has taken place in a hot climate for over a millennium, but the climate crisis is exacerbating these conditions,” Carl-Friedrich Schleussner of Climate Analytics told Reuters.

According to his research, if global temperatures rise by 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, the risk of heat stroke during the Hajj pilgrimage could increase by up to five times.

According to several reports, the extreme conditions have been exacerbated by mismanagement by the Saudi authorities, leading to a crisis in many areas designated for pilgrims.

They say accommodation and facilities are poorly managed and that the overcrowded tents lack adequate refrigeration and sanitation facilities.

Amina (name changed), a 38-year-old from Islamabad, reports: “In the heat of Mecca, there was no air conditioning in our tents. The installed coolers had no water most of the time.”

“The suffocation in those tents was so bad that we were sweating. It was a terrible experience,” she adds.

Fauziah, a pilgrim from Jakarta, agrees, saying: “Many fainted because the tents were overcrowded and overheated.”

She would welcome improvements, but believes: “This is the best organisation of the Hajj so far.”

However, the Saudi Health Minister highlighted the resources being allocated for the welfare of pilgrims.

According to a government statement, these include 189 hospitals, health centers and mobile clinics with a total capacity of more than 6,500 beds and over 40,000 medical, technical and administrative staff and volunteers.

Pilgrims often had to walk long distances in the intense heat, with some citing roadblocks and poor management.

Muhammad Acha, a hajj organizer for a private group, said that in summer, a typical pilgrim must walk at least 15 kilometers a day, exposing them to heat stroke, exhaustion and dehydration.

“This is my 18th hajj, and in my experience, the Saudi controllers are not mediators. They control, but they do not help,” he said.

“Previously, the turnarounds to the tents were open, but now all these paths are closed. As a result, even if an ordinary pilgrim stays in a Category A tent in Zone I, he has to walk 2.5 kilometers in the summer heat to get to his tent,” he explains.

“If an emergency occurs on this route, no one will come to your aid for 30 minutes. There are no provisions to save lives and there are no water points along these routes,” Acha adds.

To perform Hajj, a pilgrim must apply for a special Hajj visa.

Nevertheless, some people try to take part in the five-day pilgrimage without the required documents, despite tough crackdowns by Saudi authorities.

Pilgrims without proper documentation often avoid the authorities, even when they need help.

This “unofficial hajj” is believed to contribute to the high number of deaths and the authorities also blame it in part for the overcrowding of the tents.

“We suspect that people with non-Hajj visas have entered the Hajj areas,” says Mustolih Siradj, chairman of the Indonesian National Hajj and Umrah Commission (Komnas Haji).

Saad Al-Qurashi, adviser to the National Committee for Hajj and Umrah, told the BBC: “Anyone who does not have a Hajj visa will not be tolerated and will have to return to their country.”

He points out that illegal pilgrims are identified using Nusuk cards, which are given to official pilgrims and contain a barcode for access to holy sites.

One reason for the many deaths during Hajj each year may be that many pilgrims are nearing the end of their lives after a lifetime of saving.

Many Muslims also hope that if they die, their death will occur during Hajj, as it is considered a blessing to die and be buried in the holy city.

If a pilgrim dies during Hajj, the death is reported to the Hajj Mission. They use bracelets or necklaces to confirm the identity. They then obtain a medical certificate and Saudi Arabia issues a death certificate.

Funeral prayers are held in major mosques, depending on the location, such as the Al-Haram Mosque in Mecca or the Prophet’s Mosque in Medina. The body is washed, wrapped and transported in refrigerators provided by the Saudi government, which covers all expenses.

Burials are simple, without markers, sometimes with several bodies in one place. The cemetery register lists who is buried where, so families can visit the graves if they wish.

The Saudi government says it is ensuring “dignified and respectful burial processes” with the help of various groups and the Red Crescent.