RIYADH [Saudi Arabia], Six people have died from heatstroke during the hajj pilgrimage to Mecca, CNN reported on Sunday.
The Jordanian Foreign Ministry confirmed on Saturday that all six deceased were Jordanians and that the country was coordinating with Saudi authorities in Jeddah on burial procedures and the possible return of their bodies to Jordan.
News of the deaths came as pilgrims gathered on Mount Arafat on Saturday to mark the main event of the pilgrimage.
The Saudi General Authority for Statistics reported that more than 1.8 million pilgrims will perform Hajj this year.
The Hajj is one of the world's largest religious ceremonies and Saudi Arabia's major annual event.It is considered one of the five pillars of Islam.
This year, Saudi Arabia is facing extreme heat during the five-day pilgrimage, with temperatures reaching 48 degrees Celsius in Mecca.
Hajj officials are advising pilgrims to bring umbrellas and stay hydrated in extreme weather conditions, according to state news agency SPA. The Saudi military has also sent more than 1,600 troops, including specialized medical units for heatstroke and 30 rapid response teams, according to CNN. Another 5,000 health and first aid volunteers are participating.Jordan had said its official delegation this year included more than 4,000 pilgrims.
However, according to CNN, the State Department confirmed that the six people who died were not members of an "official delegation", which meant they did not have the proper Hajj license to conduct the pilgrimage.
The pilgrimage involves various elaborate rites, such as wearing unique clothing that represents human equality and unity before God, a round, counterclockwise march around the Kaaba, and the throwing of a symbolic stone of wickedness.
Those who have completed the pilgrimage may add the words al-Hajj or Haji (pilgrim) to their names.
Saudi Arabia has invested billions of dollars over the past decade to improve transportation, technology and accommodation for Hajj pilgrims, a major source of revenue for the world's largest oil producer.
The Jordanian Foreign Ministry confirmed on Saturday that all six deceased were Jordanians and that the country was coordinating with Saudi authorities in Jeddah on burial procedures and the possible return of their bodies to Jordan.
News of the deaths came as pilgrims gathered on Mount Arafat on Saturday to mark the main event of the pilgrimage.
The Saudi General Authority for Statistics reported that more than 1.8 million pilgrims will perform Hajj this year.
The Hajj is one of the world's largest religious ceremonies and Saudi Arabia's major annual event.It is considered one of the five pillars of Islam.
This year, Saudi Arabia is facing extreme heat during the five-day pilgrimage, with temperatures reaching 48 degrees Celsius in Mecca.
Hajj officials are advising pilgrims to bring umbrellas and stay hydrated in extreme weather conditions, according to state news agency SPA. The Saudi military has also sent more than 1,600 troops, including specialized medical units for heatstroke and 30 rapid response teams, according to CNN. Another 5,000 health and first aid volunteers are participating.Jordan had said its official delegation this year included more than 4,000 pilgrims.
However, according to CNN, the State Department confirmed that the six people who died were not members of an "official delegation", which meant they did not have the proper Hajj license to conduct the pilgrimage.
The pilgrimage involves various elaborate rites, such as wearing unique clothing that represents human equality and unity before God, a round, counterclockwise march around the Kaaba, and the throwing of a symbolic stone of wickedness.
Those who have completed the pilgrimage may add the words al-Hajj or Haji (pilgrim) to their names.
Saudi Arabia has invested billions of dollars over the past decade to improve transportation, technology and accommodation for Hajj pilgrims, a major source of revenue for the world's largest oil producer.
