Saudi hosts urge pilgrims to stay indoors during Day of Arafat
According to a report in Saudi media, Hajj Minister Tawfiq al-Rabiah has requested that pilgrims refrain from leaving their tents between 10:00 am and 4:00 pm on Thursday.
The 'Day of Arafat' traditionally marks the high point of the Hajj, when pilgrims scale Mount Arafat on the outskirts of Makkah.
There, pilgrims assemble on the 70-metre (230-foot) high hill and its surrounding plain for hours of prayer and Holy Quran recital, staying there until the evening. There is little to no shade on Mount Arafat, leaving pilgrims directly exposed to the harsh desert sun for hours.
'We warn against climbing mountains or high places on the Day of Arafat, as it causes extreme physical exertion and increases the risk of heat exhaustion,' the health ministry said in a separate statement published by Saudi media.
Temperatures this year are forecast to exceed 40 degrees Celsius as one of the world's largest annual religious gatherings, bringing together devotees from around the globe, gets under way on Wednesday.
Officials have beefed up heat mitigation measures hoping to avoid a repeat of last year's hajj, which saw 1,301 pilgrims die as temperatures reached 51.8 degrees Celsius (125.2 Fahrenheit).
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