Heatwave claims lives of 19 Hajj pilgrims

At least 19 Hajj pilgrims have died due to extreme heat in Saudi Arabia, authorities confirmed on Sunday.

“Fourteen Jordanian pilgrims died and 17 others were missing” during the performance of Hajj rituals, said Jordan’s foreign ministry.

Moreover, it also confirmed that sun stroke is the cause of their deaths.

Apart from that, Iran’s Red Crescent chief Pirhossein Koolivand separately said “five Iranian pilgrims have lost their lives so far in Makkah and Medina during the hajj this year”.

The Hajj, one of the world’s biggest religious gatherings, is one of the five pillars of Islam.

Temperatures in the country have pushed well past 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) during the annual pilgrimage.

At least 1.8 million Muslims are taking part in this year.

Saudi Arabia has not provided any information on fatalities.

During last year’s Hajj at least 240 people – many from Indonesia – died, according to figures announced by various countries which also did not specify causes of death.