More than 1,300 people died during this year’s Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia as the faithful faced extreme high temperatures at Islamic holy sites in the desert kingdom, Saudi authorities announced Sunday.

Saudi Health Minister Fahd bin Abdurrahman Al-Jalajel said that 83% of the 1,301 fatalities were unauthorized pilgrims who walked long distances in soaring temperatures to perform the Hajj rituals in and around the holy city of Mecca.

Speaking with the state-owned Al Ekhbariya TV, the minister said 95 pilgrims were being treated in hospitals, some of whom were airlifted for treatment in the capital, Riyadh. He said the identification process was delayed because there were no identification documents with many of the dead pilgrims.

He said the dead were buried in Mecca, without giving a breakdown.

    • @werefreeatlast@lemmy.world
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      -216 months ago

      1 person of average intelligence…hmmm okay, all good. 10 people is Ok. 100, 500, 1000 all good.10k 🤔 hmm things starting to feel a little crowded. 100k, all take 1 step to the left, one steps on another’s foot and bam, you got a human stampede. 2,400 deady In just a few seconds. The average intelligence in the stampede is probably minimal.