Six more Ghanaian pilgrims have succumbed to the intense heat wave in Mecca, raising the total number of Ghanaian deaths during this year’s Hajj to eight.
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Abdul Rahman Alhassan Gomda, the spokesperson for the Hajj Board, confirmed the news during an interview with Umaru Sanda on Eyewitness News.
He reported that the pilgrims, staying in Madina, faced extreme temperatures that soared above 41 degrees Celsius.
To protect the pilgrims from the severe heat, Saudi authorities issued a directive requiring all pilgrims to stay inside their tents during the hottest part of the day, from noon until 4 p.m. local time.
Initially, fatalities were reported among Georgian nationals, but it soon became clear that Ghanaians were also among those who fell victim to the scorching temperatures. Sky News has reported that the death toll for this year’s Hajj pilgrimage has exceeded 1,000.
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“The heat was unbearable, reaching temperatures higher than 41 degrees Celsius,” stated A.R. Gomda. “We were confined to our camps during the critical hours. Unfortunately, we later learned that not only Georgians but also Ghanaians had lost their lives due to the heat wave.”
Gomda revealed that there was a rumor of 13 Ghanaian deaths within their camp. However, these individuals were not registered with the Hajj Board and were suspected of traveling on non-Hajj visas.
“The forensic team at the morgue has been working tirelessly, using fingerprints to identify the deceased,” Gomda explained. “So far, they have confirmed six Ghanaians among the casualties. It will take some time to determine the full extent of the losses suffered by our community.”
Last week, Chairman of the Hajj Board, Ben Abdallah Banda, confirmed the deaths of two Ghanaian pilgrims.
The pilgrims, hailing from Damongo in the Savannah region, met their untimely demise on separate occasions, with one passing on Sunday, June 9, and the other on Wednesday, June 12. Mr. Banda also confirmed the birth of a boy by one Ghanaian pilgrim.
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