Six Ghanaian nationals have tragically died in Mecca due to a severe heat wave sweeping through Saudi Arabia, raising the death toll among Ghanaian pilgrims to eight.
The Gomba, Spokesperson for the Hajj Board, confirmed the fatalities during an interview on one media house Accra
The pilgrims, staying in Madina as part of their religious journey, faced high temperature exceeding 41 degrees Celsius.
In response to the heat, Saudi authorities mandated that all pilgrims stay within their tents during peak heat hours, between noon and 4 p.m. local time.
Initially, reports of fatalities emerged involving Georgian pilgrims. However, it was later revealed that Ghanaians were also among the heat wave victims.
"The temperature was so high—above 41 degrees Celsius," Gomba stated.
"They asked the authorities to confine us to our camps between noon and 4 p.m. Saudi time. Later, we heard that some Georgians lost their lives in town.
"At the time, we didn’t even know that some Ghanaians were also going to lose their lives under the conditions said to be related to the heat waves that swept across Saudi Arabia on the day."
These fatalities involved individuals suspected of travelling with non-Hajj visas, complicating identification efforts.
"The forensic centre at the morgue, where the corpses are kept before being buried, had only managed to get six nationals from Ghana.
"When I asked him how they were doing it, they told me they were using fingerprints, and it was a laborious task," Gomba explained.
Story: Amegashie Edem Walter (Khlasic)