At least 19 Jordanian and Iranian pilgrims have lost their lives during the Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia.
According to Jordan’s foreign ministry, fourteen Jordanian pilgrims passed away, and seventeen others are still missing during the hajj rituals.
AFP reported that the 14 Jordanians died “after suffering sunstroke due to the extreme heat wave.”
Additionally, five Iranian pilgrims have also died, bringing the total number of fatalities to 19.
Pirhossein Koolivand, the Iranian Red Crescent Chief, confirmed these deaths but did not specify the causes.
Meanwhile, two pilgrims from Kwara State, Salman Alade and Ayishat Ologele, passed away during their pilgrimage in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. They were part of a group of Nigerians who had travelled to perform the Hajj.
Their deaths add to the toll of Kwara pilgrims, which now stands at four, following the earlier reported deaths of Saliu Mohammed and Hawawu Mohammed in Madinah.
Last year, at least 240 people, mostly from Indonesia, died during Hajj, according to reports from various countries. The causes of these deaths were not specified.
AFP reported over 10,000 cases of heat-related illnesses during last year’s Hajj, with heat stroke accounting for 10% of them. A Saudi study noted that regional temperatures are increasing by 0.4°C per decade, potentially surpassing efforts to mitigate the effects of worsening heat.