High temperatures challenge pilgrims in Mina, Arafat
MINA: High temperatures in Mina forced most pilgrims to stay inside their tents on Tuesday, the 8th day of Dul Hijjah. Most pilgrims prefer to leave Mina on this day preparing to spend the 9th day of this month in Arafat.
The General Presidency of Meteorology and Environment (PME) forecast that temperature will be 42°C in Mina and 45°C in Makkah on Tuesday, while the temperatures will exceed 44°C in Arafat on Wednesday.
Spokesman of PME Hussain Al-Qahtani advised pilgrims to avoid walking long distances in the afternoon at the holy sites because of the high temperatures at this time.
Speaking to Arab News, he said: “Haj season for this year comes in September. It is known that the temperature in most regions of the Kingdom, especially in the Makkah region, is high. Haj season in the next years will be in mid-summer.”
Meanwhile, a doctor at the emergency department at Minah Al-Jesser Hospital told Arab News that the hospital received one case of sunstroke in a pilgrim who came to Mina from Makkah by foot on Tuesday morning.
“We expect to receive more cases of sunstroke especially among old pilgrims in the coming hours due to the high temperatures at the holy sites. All health centers at the holy cites have been mobilized to deal with these kinds of cases,” he added.
“I think that we will suffer from high temperatures in Arafat on Wednesday. However, it could be great if we ask Allah for blessing,” Abu Hamza, a Saudi pilgrim, told Arab News.
“I am performing Haj for the first time. I was insistent on performing Haj this year before the high temperatures reach 50°C in the next years as Haj will come in summer,” Ahmed Abdul Rahman, a Sudanese pilgrim said. “The high temperatures at the holy sites is the main reason my friends in Makkah advised me to postpone my Haj plans. I think that I would have to wait for six years at least to perform Haj with lower temperatures,” Saeed Hamed, a Yemeni expatriate living in Jeddah said.
