The official death toll from this year’s Hajj pilgrimage has soared to almost 500 and the true toll could be more than double that as reports emerged that as many as 600 Egyptian worshipers perished on the route to Mecca amid extreme heat, CNN reported.
At least 14 Malaysians, 165 Indonesians, 75 Jordanians, 35 Pakistanis, 49 Tunisians, 11 Iranians and 98 Indians have died, according to authorities in each country.
A further 27 Jordanians are hospitalized and around 14 are still missing, the Jordanian Foreign Ministry said.
The death tolls are expected to rise much further, as Saudi Arabia and Egypt have yet to release official figures.
Additionally, the governments are only aware of pilgrims who have registered and traveled to Mecca as part of their country’s quota – more deaths are feared among unregistered pilgrims.
The pilgrims made this year’s journey in dangerously high temperatures of up to 49 degrees Celsius (120 degrees Fahrenheit).
IRNA