Over 1.5 million pilgrims begin Haj under blazing sun

Makkah, Saudi Arabia: More than 1.5 million pilgrims joined Islam’s most important rite under a beating sun on Wednesday, as the Haj kicked off with the Saudi hosts scrambling to avoid last year’s 1,000-plus deaths in sweltering heat.

With temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit), robed pilgrims slowly circled the Kaaba, the black cube at the heart of Makkah’s Grand Mosque which is Islam’s holiest site.

Others arrived en masse in the sprawling tent city of Mina on Makkah’s outskirts, where they will stay overnight before the Haj’s high-point Thursday -- prayers on Mount Arafat, where the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) is believed to have delivered his final sermon.

Before entering Makkah, pilgrims must first enter a state of purity, called ihram, which requires special dress and behaviour.

Authorities said over 1.5 million pilgrims had arrived in Saudi Arabia for the Haj, one of the five pillars of Islam that must be performed at least once by all Muslims with the means.

Officials have ratcheted up heat protection measures such as extra shade to avoid a repeat of last year, when 1,301 people died as temperatures hit 51.8C.

Following last year’s lethal heatwave, authorities have mobilised more than 40 government agencies and 250,000 officials to improve protection.

Shaded areas have been enlarged by 50,000 square metres (12 acres), thousands of additional medics will be on standby and more than 400 cooling units will be deployed, Haj Minister Tawfiq al-Rabiah told AFP last week.

Artificial intelligence technology will help process the deluge of data, including video from a new fleet of drones, to better manage the massive crowds.

“The scene in Mina this year was completely different. We noticed that most pilgrims kept to their... tents instead of exposing themselves to the sun,” Ibrahim bin Saleh Al-Mazni, from the Al-Furqan group for Haj tours, told AFP from Mina.

“This reflects the success of the awareness campaign” of authorities he added, which have been striving to dissuade pilgrims from staying in the sun -- with many faithful believing hardship was essential to Haj.

Earlier this week, Saudi authorities called on pilgrims to stay inside their tents between 10:00 am and 4:00 pm on Thursday during the Haj’s climax at Mount Arafat, when the desert sun is at its harshest.

There, pilgrims assemble on the high hill and its surrounding plain for hours of prayer and Quran recital, staying there until the evening.

There is little to no shade on Mount Arafat, leaving pilgrims directly exposed to the blistering desert sun for hours.

Authorities said most of the deaths last year were among unregistered pilgrims who lacked access to air-conditioned tents and buses.

This year, they have cracked down on the unregistered, using frequent raids, drone surveillance and a barrage of text alerts.