Saudi Arabia seeks to prevent thermal deaths as Haj's worship begins


More than 1.4 million Muslims have begun this year's worship of Hajj in the Saudi sacred city of Mecca, a year after the dead 1300 people, most of all due to the extreme heat.

The Saudi authorities say they have intensified precautions for the annual event.

They have planted thousands of trees and installed hundreds of cooling units to help relieve temperature forecasts to reach 44 ° C (111F).

They have also banned children under 12 years old and warned the pilgrims trying to take Haj without official permission that they face $ 5,000 (3,685 British pounds) a fine and a 10-year ban on entry.

As of Sunday, employees said they had stopped more than 269,000 people from entering Mecca.

The officials said that 80% of the worshipers who died last year, including hundreds of Egyptians and Indonesians, were unregistered and therefore did not have access to appropriate accommodation, transport and other amenities when temperatures reach 51 ° C.

Many Muslims cannot afford an official HAJJ package – which can cost from $ 4,000 to $ 20,000 depending on their country of origin, length of stay and comfort level – and thus enter the Persian Gulf of tourists or visitors visas.

The Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam and takes place in the 12th month of the Islamic lunar calendar.

The trip is that every adult Muslim must take at least once in his life if he or she is able to afford it and are physically capable.

On the first day of Hajj, men's worshipers were required to change their clothes for two white towels and enter Ihram. The women dressed modest clothing and covered their heads, but not their face.

The worshipers headed for the Great Mosque of the Mecca, the most light site of Islam and traveled three times Kaaba, a ritual known as Tavaf. They can also walk seven times between the hills of Safa and Marva, known as Sai.

They then traveled to Mina, 5 km (3 miles), where they would spend the night in a tent city before heading Thursday to Arafat Peak, where it is said that the prophet Mohammed had fulfilled his last sermon.

The Saudi Arabian Ministry of Health urged worshipers to follow strict instructions to mitigate the effects of heat, including avoiding sun exposure between 10:00 and 16:00 using umbrellas to shade them regularly and drink water regularly.

The shaded areas were increased by 50,000 square meters (12 acres) and more than 400 cooling units were installed, according to the Minister of Hajj.

The cooling system in the large mosque is the biggest in the world, according to state television.

Lower and chilled roads are also built to reduce surface temperatures, and artificial intelligence will be used to monitor a drone fleet and help manage crowds.

In 2015, more than 2,300 people were killed in stamping at Mina.



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