Amid searing heat, 90 Indians reported dead during Hajj pilgrimage; death toll crosses 600

MECCA: Reports claim that 90 Indian citizens died during the Hajj pilgrimage amid scorching heat. Seven Indians have gone missing. According to various news agencies, the total number of people who died during the pilgrimage has risen to 645.

Officials say there were many elderly people among the pilgrims as some died of natural causes and others succumbed to heatstroke. About 1.8 million pilgrims have reached Mecca this year for the Hajj pilgrimage.

Mecca is experiencing one of the worst heat ever. The temperature exceeded 50 degrees Celsius. A study conducted by Saudi researchers points out that the region is warming by 0.4 degrees Celsius every decade.

Last year, the highest recorded temperature was 48 degrees Celsius during the pilgrimage season. Last year, 200 pilgrims died due to extreme heat. There were also reports of 2,000 people suffering from various heat-related ailments.

Saudi Arabia had instructed the pilgrims to use umbrellas, drink enough water and be careful not to be exposed to sunlight. However, many Hajj ceremonies require going out during daylight hours. Some pilgrims said they saw dead bodies on the roadside, despite more than enough ambulance service being available at the spot.