**Fatshimetrie: A Tragedy on the Occasion of Hajj in Saudi Arabia**
This year’s Hajj in Saudi Arabia was the scene of an unprecedented tragedy, marked by the loss of more than 1,300 lives. Saudi authorities said the deaths were caused by extremely high temperatures that worshipers faced during their pilgrimage to Islam’s holy sites in the desert kingdom.
Saudi Health Minister Fahd bin Abdurrahman Al-Jalajel revealed that 83% of the victims were unauthorized pilgrims who traveled long distances in scorching temperatures to perform Hajj rituals in and around the holy city of La Mecca. According to him, 95 pilgrims are still hospitalized, some having even been evacuated to receive treatment in Riyadh. The slow process of identifying the bodies has been blamed on the lack of identity documents on many of the deceased.
The tragic losses include more than 660 Egyptians, the vast majority of whom were unauthorized pilgrims, officials in Cairo reported. In response to the tragedy, Egyptian authorities revoked the licenses of 16 travel agencies that facilitated the travel of unauthorized pilgrims to Saudi Arabia.
This grim news reveals the dangers faced by unauthorized pilgrims who undertake the Hajj without following legal and safe procedures. In these times of mourning and sadness, it is essential to strengthen control and awareness measures to avoid such disasters in the future.
The Hajj, one of the largest religious gatherings in the world, must be carried out under optimal security conditions to ensure the protection and well-being of all the faithful who participate. Hopefully lessons will be learned from this tragedy to improve the management and security of this sacred event in the future.