Over 1,300 pilgrims have died amid extreme heat in Saudi Arabia during the Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca this month, prompting questions about the country's preparedness. Most of the deceased were unregistered for the hajj, missing out on air-conditioned transport and cooling tents available to those with permits, leaving them vulnerable to temperatures reaching 120 degrees Fahrenheit.
The Saudi government has increased shade and used misting to cool pilgrims, but relatives of the dead and missing argue these measures were insufficient. It remains unclear if this year's death toll is higher than in previous years, as Saudi Arabia does not regularly release such statistics.
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