Over 1,300 Hajj Pilgrims Die Amid Record Heat in Saudi Arabia
Summary from the AllSides News Team
Over 1,300 Muslims have reportedly died during this year’s annual Hajj pilgrimage as temperatures reached around 50 degrees Celsius (122°F).
The Details: Reports indicated that about 83% of the deceased were unregistered pilgrims who had to walk long distances under the sun without proper accommodation or means of transportation. Among those affected are an elderly couple from Maryland, whose bodies are yet to be located and returned to their family in the U.S. It is not unusual for people to die during the Hajj; per CNN (Lean Left bias), about 200 died last year.
For Context: As part of one of the five pillars of Islam, the Hajj pilgrimage is a mandatory duty for all Muslims to complete once in their lifetime, if they have the financial and physical means to do so. This religious journey often sees about two million pilgrims each year. However, recent years have seen a rise in extreme heat and droughts worldwide.
How the Media Covered It: Coverage appeared to be more common among mainstream internationally-focused outlets, most of which AllSides rates as Center or Lean Left. Some coverage explored specific angles or explanations; CNN highlighted interviews with two pilgrims who said there were “not enough medics or basic facilities.” Mentions of climate change were sparse and mainly found in outlets on the left and center. This summary was developed with the help of AllSides' AI technology.
Featured Coverage of this Story
From the Right
1,300 Estimated Dead In Annual Pilgrimage Abroad: Report
An estimated 1,301 people have died during this year’s Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, known as Hajj, due to sweltering temperatures at the Saudi Arabia holy site, CNN reported Sunday, citing Saudi officials.
“The health system addressed numerous cases of heat stress this year, with some individuals still under care. Regrettably, the number of mortalities reached 1,301,” CNN reported, citing a statement by Saudi government officials. One of Islam’s most significant rites of passage, the pilgrimage is mandatory for all financially and physically able Muslims at least once in their lives.
The pilgrimage is...
From the Center
What's behind deaths at this year's Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia?
Hundreds of people are thought to have died during the Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia - most of them due to extreme heat as temperatures soared past 51C (123F).
AFP news agency quoted an Arab diplomat as saying 658 Egyptians had died. Indonesia said that more than 200 of its nationals had died. India said 98 people were known to have died.
Pakistan, Malaysia, Jordan, Iran, Senegal, Sudan and Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region have also confirmed deaths. The US believes a number of Americans died, the Wall Street Journal reported....
From the Left
‘Not enough medics’ to help pilgrims with heat, Hajj witnesses tell CNN as toll mounts
There were not enough medics or basic facilities to protect Hajj pilgrims from the effects of the sweltering heat in Saudi Arabia last week, two pilgrims recently returned from Hajj told CNN, as the official death toll from this year’s Hajj pilgrimage soared to almost 500.
Witnesses said worshipers losing consciousness and walking past bodies covered in white cloth became a norm during the mass religious event.
This years’ Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca has been held amid extreme weather conditions which saw temperatures consistently soar above average figures. The exact death toll...
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