Saudi authorities have urged pilgrims participating in this year’s Hajj to stay inside their tents during peak heat hours on Thursday, warning of severe temperatures expected to exceed 40 degrees Celsius.

Hajj Minister Tawfiq al-Rabiah advised pilgrims to avoid outdoor activity between 10:00 am and 4:00 pm, particularly on Mount Arafat, where there is minimal shade.

The health ministry cautioned against climbing mountains or high places, citing the risk of heat exhaustion.

In response to last year’s deadly heatwave, which claimed 1,301 lives as temperatures soared to 51.8°C, officials have mobilised over 250,000 personnel from 40 agencies, expanded shaded areas by 50,000 square metres, stationed thousands of medics, and deployed more than 400 cooling units.

As of Sunday, over 1.4 million pilgrims had arrived in the Kingdom for the annual pilgrimage.