The annual Hajj pilgrimage in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, has been marred by tragedy as scorching temperatures and a rising death toll cast a shadow over the holy event. With confirmed fatalities now exceeding 900, including 35 from Pakistan, a desperate search for missing pilgrims is underway.
Soaring temperatures reaching 51.8°C (125°F) have overwhelmed many of the 1.8 million participants, with the elderly and frail particularly vulnerable. Officials report at least 600 fatalities from Egypt alone, with over 1,400 pilgrims missing.
Social media platforms have become vital avenues for tracing missing loved ones. Families like that of Ghada Mahmoud Ahmed Dawood, an Egyptian pilgrim missing since Saturday, have posted pleas for information. While her absence from the confirmed fatalities list offers a glimmer of hope, her whereabouts remain unknown.
Also read: Youngest Egyptian Pilgrim Passes Away In Mecca During Hajj 2024
The situation is further complicated by a rise in pilgrims utilizing unauthorized channels to perform Hajj, bypassing official permits due to their cost. This trend, coupled with the Hajj coinciding with the harsh Saudi summer, exacerbates the risks associated with the pilgrimage.
Authorities in Saudi Arabia, while withholding official death tolls, have reported over 2,700 cases of heat exhaustion. They continue their search for the missing, a race against time amidst the deadly heatwave.
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