Today's Edition
MAKKAH (AFP)
Saudi Arabia's National Center for Meteorology predicted daytime temperatures this week would hover between 42 and 47°C in Makkah during the Hajj, which officially begins on Monday.
Pilgrims perform most of the Hajj's rites outdoors where more than a million devotees gather in stifling conditions, with many attendees succumbing to heatstroke, fainting spells triggered by the heat.
For pilgrims travelling from outside the region, the harsh desert climate can be brutal.
"I make sure to drink large amounts of water and beverages rich in salts and minerals, because we sweat constantly and are always on the move," said Imad Ahmed, visiting from Britain.
'Really hot'
To protect worshippers from the extreme heat, authorities rely on one of the most powerful air conditioning systems in the world to cool the Grand Mosque's courtyards, according to Saudi state television.
Other areas have huge fans, mist sprayers and cooled flooring systems to mitigate the searing heat.
Trucks are also continuously distributing free bottles of ice-cold water to pilgrims.
But even with these measures, the unrelenting sun continues to bake the white marble surrounding the grounds of the Grand Mosque where most pilgrims have congregated in recent days.
Heatstrokes
Ice cream stands are popular among pilgrims, while others seek shelter in the shade of buildings near the mosque or in indoor galleries, where they lie on carpets beneath enormous fans while waiting to perform their prayers.
When the Hajj begins, pilgrims will be forced to beat the heat for many of the rites, including the pilgrimage's climax at Mount Arafat on Tuesday.
More than 50,000 healthcare staff and 3,000 ambulances are on hand to help pilgrims in need, the Saudi health ministry said.
On Saturday, the ministry said its medical teams had already treated 144 people suffering from heatstroke.
Speaking from a hospital room in the Mina camp, where authorities treat pilgrims for heat exhaustion, the health ministry's Jameel Abualenain said he was mainly concerned "about rising temperatures" affecting pilgrims.
To protect against heatstroke, he said people must "drink enough water, use umbrellas and avoid prolonged exposure to the sun".
