RIYADH: Saudi Arabia said Tuesday pilgrims can expect average high temperatures of 44 degrees Celsius during the hajj, which last year saw thousands of cases of heat stress. “The expected climate for hajj this year will witness an increase in average temperatures of one and a half to two degrees above normal in Makkah and Madinah,” national meteorology center chief Ayman Ghulam told a press conference. The forecast indicates “relative humidity 25 percent, rain rates close to zero, average maximum temperature 44 degrees”, he said.

The hajj, which begins on June 14, is one of the five pillars of Islam and must be undertaken at least once by all Muslims who have the means to do so. It involves a series of rites completed over four days in Makkah and its surroundings in the west of oil-rich Saudi Arabia. Last year more than 1.8 million Muslims took part in the hajj, official figures showed.

More than 2,000 people suffered heat stress — which includes heatstroke, exhaustion, cramps and rashes — according to Saudi authorities, after temperatures soared to 48 degrees Celsius. At least 240 people — many from Indonesia — died during the pilgrimage, according to figures announced by various countries which did not specify causes of death. Saudi Arabia did not provide statistics on fatalities.

Officials in the kingdom take steps to try to mitigate the effects of heat, including providing air-conditioned tents and misting systems. Ghulam told Tuesday’s press conference there was “a need for sufficient quantities of water to cover daily consumption as temperatures rise”. He also said food for pilgrims should be transported in refrigerators so it does not spoil.

Meanwhile, the General Authority of Roads has completed painting asphalt surfaces in the area surrounding Namirah Mosque to reduce temperature for pilgrims and cool the climate to moderate degrees. The authority’s official spokesman Abdulaziz Al-Otaibi confirmed in a statement to Saudi Press Agency that applying the technology of reducing the asphalt’s surface temperature by reflecting sunlight, comes in partnership with several participating parties to serve pilgrims.

Otaibi said last year’s experiment was conducted within specific areas, on the pedestrian routes leading to the holy sites, where temperatures tend to rise, noting its success in reducing the temperature by 12 to 15 Celsius degrees, while this year’s experiment has expanded to cover the area surrounding Namirah Mosque. He pointed out that this mechanism of cooling roads seeks to create more comfortable environments in pedestrian areas. – Agencies