Over 500 Hajj pilgrims died in Saudi’s Mecca due to severe heat

At least 550 pilgrims died from extreme heat during this year’s Hajj, with temperatures reaching 51.8 degrees Celsius (125 Fahrenheit) at Mecca’s Grand Mosque. Egyptians accounted for the highest casualties, totaling 323 deaths, primarily from heat-related illnesses. Saudi officials treated over 2,000 pilgrims for heat stress. The pilgrimage is increasingly impacted by climate change, as temperatures rise by 0.4 degrees Celsius per decade in ritual areas. At least 550 pilgrims died from extreme heat during this year’s Hajj, with temperatures reaching 51.8 degrees Celsius (125 Fahrenheit) at Mecca’s Grand Mosque. Egyptians accounted for the highest casualties, totaling 323 deaths, primarily from heat-related illnesses. Saudi officials treated over 2,000 pilgrims for heat stress. The pilgrimage is increasingly impacted by climate change, as temperatures rise by 0.4 degrees Celsius per decade in ritual areas.  Economic Times