CAIRO/RIYADH (Reuters) -Greater than 1,000 folks died throughout haj this yr, in keeping with a Reuters tally, as excessive warmth hammered the almost two million who took half within the annual Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca.
Most of useless had been Egyptians. Safety and medical sources advised Reuters on Sunday that the Egyptian dying toll had risen to 672 and one other 25 had been lacking.
A complete of 236 Indonesians died, in keeping with Indonesian authorities information, whereas India’s Exterior Affairs company mentioned 98 Indian residents died throughout haj.
Additional deaths had been reported by Tunisia, Jordan, Iran, and Senegal, making this yr’s complete toll not less than 1,114 folks, in keeping with a Reuters tally.
An Egyptian disaster unit tasked with investigating the state of affairs mentioned on Saturday it has suspended licences of 16 tourism firms and referred them to the general public prosecutor, accusing them of being chargeable for deaths it mentioned had been primarily amongst pilgrims not registered beneath the official system.
The unit mentioned 31 deaths had been confirmed on account of power sickness amongst formally registered pilgrims.