Extreme heat: 557 Hajj pilgrims die of heatstroke in Mecca

MECCA: Arab diplomats on Wednesday said that as many as 577 pilgrims died of heatstroke during the hajj in Mecca. They also pointed out that the extreme heat has made this year's pilgrimage difficult. According to the Saudi National Meteorological Center, the temperature in Mecca's Grand Mosque reached 51.8 degrees Celsius on Monday.

According to reports, 323 of those who died were Egyptians.

"All of them (the Egyptians) died because of heat" except for one who sustained fatal injuries during a minor crowd crush, one of the diplomats said, adding the total figure came from the hospital morgue in the Al-Muaisem neighbourhood of Mecca.

60 people from Jordan also died of heatstroke in Mecca. The bodies of 550 deceased people are kept at the mortuary.

Earlier, the authorities had announced that 2000 pilgrims who fell ill due to extreme heat were admitted to the hospital.

Saudi officials had advised pilgrims to use umbrellas, drink plenty of water and avoid exposure to the sun during the hottest hours of the day. However, many of the hajj rituals, including the prayers on Mount Arafat which took place on Saturday, involve being outdoors for hours in the daytime.

About 1.8 million pilgrims participated in the Hajj this year. Of these, 1.6 million came from abroad.