At least 1,300 people have died this year during the annual Hajj pilgrimage in Mecca. It is unclear whether the death toll is higher than usual, as pilgrims die every year from heat stress, illness and chronic diseases.
But the damage has raised questions about whether Saudi Arabia was adequately prepared for the heat wave and the influx of unregistered pilgrims who rely on illegal tour operators to evade official permit processes.
Here's what you need to know about this year's hajj.
What is Hajj?
Hajj, the pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia, is one of the five pillars of Islam, and all Muslims who are physically and financially capable are obliged to perform the pilgrimage at least once in their lives.
People save years to travel to Mecca, Islam's holiest city, to begin the five-day pilgrimage that takes place before and during the holy period of Eid al-Adha. Pilgrims visit several holy sites, including circling the Kaaba and praying near Mount Arafat.
Even for the young and healthy, the hajj is physically demanding, and many pilgrims are elderly or sick. Some people believe that hajj may be their last rites and that they will be greatly blessed if they die in Mecca.
How was this year?
More than 1.8 million Muslims participated in this year's hajj, 1.6 million of whom were from outside Saudi Arabia, according to the Saudi General Authority for Statistics.
They faced scorching temperatures ranging from 108 to 120 degrees Fahrenheit, according to preliminary data.
The Saudi government's measures to reduce the impact of the heat wave included spraying water on pilgrims and creating shade in some places. Authorities also issued an advisory urging pilgrims to stay hydrated, minimize outdoor activities and carry umbrellas to block direct sunlight.
As temperatures rise, some pilgrims say they have seen people fainting in the streets and corpses passing by.
What was the cause of death?
According to the government, some pilgrims developed chronic diseases or died of natural causes. However, in many cases fever has been suggested as the cause.
Many relatives of the dead and missing have complained that authorities have not installed sufficient cooling facilities or that there is not enough water for all the pilgrims. These amenities, intended for those registered for hajj, did not necessarily account for the large number of pilgrims who descended on Mecca without permission.
Saudi Arabia's Health Minister Fahd al-Jalazel said 83% of the 1,301 reported deaths were linked to pilgrims without permits.
“Rising temperatures during the hajj season have been a big challenge this year,” he said in an interview on state television on Sunday. “Unfortunately – this is painful for all of us – people without pilgrimage permits walked long distances in the sun.”
Why were there so many unregistered pilgrims?
An official hajj package can cost more than $10,000, depending on the pilgrim's country of origin. This is far beyond the means of many people wishing to travel.
The companies are under fire for allowing pilgrims to travel to Saudi Arabia on visit and tourist visas instead of Hajj visas, which give them access to health care and holy sites. While licensed pilgrims travel around the holy city of Mecca in air-conditioned buses and rest in air-conditioned tents, unregistered pilgrims are often exposed to inclement weather.
An Egyptian travel agency official said that due to the rising cost of Hajj package tours and the devaluation of the Egyptian pound, many pilgrims have opted for tourist visas, which has put a strain on facilities in Mecca and surrounding shrines.
The man from Mecca, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to security concerns, said the unregistered pilgrims had no tents and were exposed to extreme heat. He said there are too few buses, so many pilgrims walk more than 12 miles.
Before the Hajj, Saudi authorities put up billboards and sent out extensive text messages reminding people that it is illegal to perform the pilgrimage without permission. Violators face fines, expulsion, and ban from re-entering the Kingdom.
Visitors without a permit have been banned from entering Mecca for several weeks prior to the summer solstice. But many pilgrims evaded the restrictions by arriving early and hiding, or by paying smugglers to take them into the city.
Will there be any results?
Several countries with high death tolls moved quickly to address the tragedy.
Tunisia's president, whose dead included more than 50 pilgrims, fired his religious affairs minister on Friday. Prosecutors in Jordan have launched an investigation into the illegal Hajj pilgrimage, following the deaths of at least 99 pilgrims.
And Egyptian authorities said they would revoke the licenses of 16 companies that issued visas to pilgrims without providing adequate services.
Mahmoud Qassem, an Egyptian lawmaker, said tour operators “left pilgrims stranded and turned off their cell phones” and were unable to hear travelers' calls for help.
What about Saudi Arabia?
Saudi officials repeatedly praised this year's hajj, calling it a success. It is unclear whether more pilgrims have died than in the past because Saudi Arabia does not regularly report such statistics. In August 1985, more than 1,700 people died around the shrine, mostly from heat stress, according to a study at the time.
But many social media users criticized the government's mismanagement of the deaths this year, and the opposition party founded by exiled Saudi dissidents called it “negligence.”
This is not the first time the Saudi government's handling of the Hajj pilgrimage has come under scrutiny. Haji has been the site of several disasters over the years, including the 2015 stampede that killed more than 2,200 people.
Recently, as temperatures have risen, many pilgrims are also succumbing to heat stress. Islamic Relief, a global aid organization based in London, has been warning about the impact of climate change on Hajj since 2019.
“If global carbon emissions continue as usual, temperatures in Mecca will rise to levels the human body cannot tolerate,” Shahin Ashraf, the group’s global advocacy director, said in an emailed statement Friday.
Because the date of the summer solstice is tied to the lunar calendar, it will gradually shift to cooler months over the next few years.
What do we know about dead people?
There was likely a lack of clarity on tolls due to the number of unregistered pilgrims. Official figures were delayed, and several countries said consular officials were searching hospitals, clinics and morgues for missing citizens.
So far, Indonesia has reported the highest number of deaths with 199, followed by India with 98. They said they were not sure whether the heat caused all the deaths.
Neither Saudi Arabia nor Egypt, where many pilgrims flock, have fully disclosed the death toll of their citizens. The Egyptian government said 31 officially licensed pilgrims had died but was continuing to work with Saudi authorities to compile the full number.
Many people have been reported missing and Egyptian families are bracing for a high death toll. Egypt has set up a crisis center to receive distress calls and coordinate government responses.
Among the dead were at least two Americans. Maryland residents Isatu Uri, 65, and Allie Uri, 71. Their daughter, Saida Uri, said they had difficulty finding her body in Mecca. But she believes her parents were filled with joy in her final days, she said.
“They died doing exactly what they wanted to do,” she said. “They always wanted to go to Hajj.”
Mother Mekay contributed to the report.