Saudi Arabia warns of hot summer in this year’s Hajj

Fans blow air mixed with water vapour to cool off Muslim pilgrims walking at the Grand Mosque in Saudi Arabia's Makkah ahead of an expected hot Hajj season. (File/AFP)

• The Kingdom makes preparations to ensure safe and smooth Hajj

RIYADH: Saudi spokesperson warned of rising temperatures reaching 48ºC as pilgrims gear up for Hajj this week, state news agency SPA reported on Tuesday.
Muhammad Al-Abdulaali, the health ministry’s spokesperson, said high temperatures pose “a major challenge” in this year’s Hajj season, set to begin on June 14.
He urged pilgrims to follow the ministry’s health guidelines to keep safe from the heat. Carrying umbrellas, maintaining hydration and taking rest periods between rituals are necessary to avoid heat fatigue.
“The ministry is making all efforts to provide a healthy and safe environment for pilgrims in light of the harsh climatic conditions,” said Al-Abdulaali.
The National Center for Meteorology had forecasted that temperatures in Makkah will range between 45 degrees Celsius and 48 degrees Celsius, from hot to very hot, with little rain potential.
The Kingdom has been making preparations for this year’s pilgrimage to ensure a safe and smooth Hajj.
For the first time, a mobile control and monitoring center, equipped with sensors connected to main road, was launched to ensure smooth traffic flow within Makkah and the holy site. Through real-time monitoring of public transport vehicles, the high-tech system will measure traffic density along the designated routes for pilgrim transportation during Hajj season.
The General Authority for the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque has deployed around 500 trained civilian security personnel to assist in crowd organization and management throughout the Grand Mosque, in collaboration with relevant authorities.
Trained teams will also monitor security and safety operations, protect property and individuals, and oversee public facility systems.
Meanwhile, volunteers in Madinah dedicated over 100,000 hours to serve pilgrims ahead of Hajj season to offer services including guidance and assistance, crowd management, multilingual field support, distribution of meals and Zamzam water bottles, and monitoring of health conditions.