Several dozen adults and one baby have died from heatstroke during this year’s Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia as temperatures reached 48 degrees Celsius (118 degrees Fahrenheit) in the region, Al Hurra reported.

Temperatures in the Arabian Peninsula are usually warm at this time of year; however, climate change has made this year’s pilgrimage extremely dangerous for many elderly and vulnerable people due to extreme heat waves. More than 2,000 people have suffered from heat exhaustion since the beginning of the Hajj period this year, local reports acknowledge.

On June 15, the Jordanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the death of 12 of its citizens while performing Hajj rituals as a result of sunstroke. Local Jordanian media reported that the number of deaths among Jordanian pilgrims had reached 14 people, as the Roya News website published the names of the deaths.

The number of deaths among Egyptian pilgrims reached nine people, including a toddler, due to the heat, according to Al-Masry Al-Youm newspaper. “The child’s family announced his death in the Holy Mosque while his parents were engaged in the Hajj rituals, as he could not bear the high temperatures,” Gulf Today reported on June 11.

Earlier, the Moroccan website Hespress reported that five pilgrims from the Kingdom had died, three of them due to complications from diabetes, while the others died due to heat stress.

The head of Iran’s Red Crescent Society also reported that at least five of that country’s delegation had lost their lives due to the extreme conditions in the past few days; the organisation reported that several of them were elderly. Pirhossein Kolivand added that the Iranian Red Crescent team on site aided nearly 13,000 people, while supporting hydrating efforts. 

According to estimates, more than 2mn people are participating in this year’s Hajj ceremonies, which include visits to Mecca, Medina and Mount Arafat, all operated by Saudi Arabia’s Hajj authorities.

The event occurs two months and 10 days after Ramadan ends, the date of which moves forward each year. This year’s Hajj is at the height of the country's summer heat, which has exacerbated the problem.  

The number of deaths during the Hajj pilgrimage varies considerably each year due to factors such as crowd size, weather conditions and specific incidents.

Health-related fatalities and accidents are common at such gatherings. For instance, in 2019, at least 230 pilgrims died from health complications during Hajj, the Times of Israel reported.

Excessive heat warnings are present for the entire week in Mecca and Medina, with temperatures set to surpass 48C on June 17, and remaining above 40C until June 21.  

The Saudi authorities have attempted to cool down the pilgrims by spraying water vapour over large areas and bringing in other technologies to help.

The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) suggests temperatures are going to keep rising for the next few years.  The global mean near-surface temperature for each year between 2024 and 2028 is predicted to be between 1.1°C and 1.9°C higher than the 1850-1900 baseline, according to the WMO report. It says that it is likely (86%) that at least one of these years will set a new temperature record, beating 2023, currently the warmest year.

Last year’s global temperature was boosted by a strong El Niño. The WMO predicts the development of a La Niña and a return to cooler conditions in the tropical Pacific in the near term.