With ice cream and giant fans, haj pilgrims battle searing heat in Saudi Arabia
Haj pilgrims in Saudi Arabia are facing extreme heat, with temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius. Many have opted to stay indoors during the hottest parts of the day, despite their plans to pray at the Grand Mosque. Authorities are providing cooling measures, but the harsh conditions continue to pose risks to the health of attendees.
- ▪Temperatures in Mecca are predicted to reach between 42 and 47 degrees Celsius during the haj.
- ▪Pilgrims are experiencing heat-related health issues, with over 144 treated for heatstroke by the health ministry.
- ▪Authorities have implemented cooling systems and are distributing free ice-cold water to help mitigate the heat.
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With ice cream and giant fans, haj pilgrims battle searing heat in Saudi ArabiaSign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inboxPilgrims perform most of the haj’s rites outdoors including at Mecca’s Grand Mosque.PHOTO: REUTERSPublished May 25, 2026, 10:05 AMUpdated May 25, 2026, 10:05 AMMECCA, Saudi Arabia – To avoid the punishing sun, Ms Inas Gamal abandoned her ambitious plan of spending the days ahead of the haj praying in Mecca’s Grand Mosque and retreated to the comfort of an air-conditioned hotel room to perform her daytime prayers.Despite travelling all the way from Egypt for the annual pilgrimage, Ms Gamal said it was just too hot to spend much time outside during the day, where temperatures crossed 40 deg C.“It’s very hot, much hotter than I imagined,” the mother of four,…
Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at Straits Times — World.