MINA: Thousands of robed Muslims gathered in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday for the “stoning of the devil” ceremony, as the largest Hajj trip since the plague came to an end.
Hundreds of thousands of devotees began pelting pebbles at three concrete monoliths depicting Satan from dawn, the final major rite in an event staged in extreme July heat.
Pilgrims flocked to Mina, near Makkah, a day after praying for hours on Mount Arafat in temperatures as high as 48 degrees Celsius (118 degrees Fahrenheit).
More than 1.8 million pilgrims, the majority of whom were from abroad, participated in the first Hajj with unrestricted numbers since pre-Covid in 2019, when 2.5 million participated.
Saudi officials published the attendance total on Tuesday, which falls far short of their estimate of breaking the 2019 record.
The Hajj is a source of prestige and a key source of cash for Saudi Arabia, which is attempting to diversify its oil-dependent economy, including tourism.
The devil-stoning begins the three-day Eid al-Adha celebration.
Following that, the pilgrims return to Makkah for a farewell “Tawaf” – walking seven times around the Kaaba, the massive black cube at the Grand Mosque that is the focal point of Islam.
Stampedes are extremely dangerous.
Mina’s walkways have previously proven deadly: in 2015, a stampede killed up to 2,300 pilgrims in the deadliest Hajj tragedy in history.
Read more : Ruet-e-Hilal Committee to meet today for Zill HAjj Moon sighting
In 2006, a similar catastrophe killed 364 people.
There were other stampedes in 2004, 1998, and 1994. A tunnel ventilation system breakdown in 1990 produced a massive surge, killing 1,426 pilgrims, mostly from Asia.
There have been no serious occurrences since 2015, and the site has been completely redesigned, including the installation of a multi-story bridge to provide pilgrims safe access to the monoliths.
Helicopters flew overhead on Wednesday, as hundreds of police officers fanned out across Mina’s roads to direct the flow of pilgrims.
Along with the throng, the sweltering temperatures have been a huge obstacle for worshippers from 160 nations, including many elderly people after a maximum age requirement was removed.
The Hajj has recently coincided with the Saudi heat, which has been exacerbated by global warming, which has made the desert temperature even hotter.
Tuesday’s high temperature of 48 degrees Celsius making it the hottest day of the Hajj this year. Temperatures over 50 degrees Celsius may become an annual occurrence in Saudi Arabia by the end of the century, according to experts.
Many pilgrims walk with umbrellas to shade themselves from the sun, while others
