Thousands suffer heat stress on hajj pilgrimage as temperatures reach 48C

More than 2,000 people suffered heat stress during the hajj pilgrimage, Saudi officials said on Thursday, after temperatures soared to 48C (118F).

Over 1.8 million Muslim worshippers performed the days-long hajj, mostly held outdoors at the height of the Saudi desert summer. Many elderly were among the pilgrims after a Covid-era maximum age limit was scrapped.

Saudi officials said about 1,700 heat stress cases were recorded on Thursday – as huge numbers of pilgrims remain at the holy sites one day after the main rituals finished – added to the 287 reported earlier.

“The number of heat stress cases since the beginning of this day has reached 1,721,” the Saudi health ministry said, urging people to stay out of the sun and drink plenty of water.

Officials did not provide a death toll but at least 230 people – many from Indonesia – died during the pilgrimage, according to numbers announced by various countries which did not list causes of death.