Over 1,300 pilgrims died during this year's Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia due to extreme heat at Islamic holy sites in the desert kingdom. Over 80% of the deaths were unauthorized pilgrims who walked long distances in temperatures over 117°F to perform rituals in and around Mecca. Over 1.83 million Muslims performed the 2024 Hajj pilgrimage, including more than 1.6 million foreigners and around 222,000 Saudis. Saudi Arabia spends billions on crowd control and safety, but the large number of pilgrims makes risks difficult to manage.
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00It's Benzinga, and here's what's on the block.
00:03Over 1,300 pilgrims died during this year's Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia due to extreme
00:08heat at Islamic holy sites in the Desert Kingdom.
00:11Over 80% of the deaths were unauthorized pilgrims who walked long distances in temperatures
00:15over 117 degrees Fahrenheit to perform rituals in and around the Mecca.
00:21Over 1.83 million Muslims performed the 2024 Hajj pilgrimage, including more than 1.6 million
00:27foreigners and around 220,000 Saudis.
00:30Saudi Arabia spends billions on crowd control and safety, but the large number of pilgrims
00:35makes risks difficult to manage.
00:37For all things money, visit Benzinga.com.