Six Ghanaian nationals have tragically lost their lives due to an intense heat wave sweeping through Saudi Arabia. This incident brings the total number of Ghanaian casualties during this period to eight, following two earlier deaths reported on June 13.
The distressing news was confirmed by Abdul Rahman Alhassan Gomba, the Spokesperson for the Hajj Board, in an interview with Umaru Sanda on Eyewitness News. Gomba explained that the pilgrims, who were residing in Madina as part of their religious journey, faced extreme temperatures exceeding 41 degrees Celsius.
In response to the extreme heat, Saudi authorities issued a directive for all pilgrims to remain within their tents during the peak heat hours between noon and 4 p.m. local time. Despite these precautions, the heat wave proved deadly.
Initial reports of fatalities among the pilgrims highlighted the deaths of some Georgian nationals, but it was later confirmed that Ghanaians were also among the victims. According to Sky News, the heat wave has claimed the lives of over 1,000 people during the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca.
“The temperature was so high—above 41 degrees Celsius,” A.R Gomda said, adding, “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.
“I had the opportunity to speak with an official at the time word spread around the Ghanaian camp that 13 of our nationals had lost their lives. These people were persons who did not travel via the Hajj Board. These were people suspected of having travelled with a non-Hajj visa.
He continued: “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.
“So, it will take days before the number of Ghanaians who died as a result of the heat wave will be established. Currently, we can say six people died during the heat wave, even though an autopsy report is not yet out regarding the subject.”
