More than 1,300 people died during this year’s Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia due to extreme high temperatures, Saudi authorities announced on Sunday.

Saudi Health Minister Fahd bin Abdurrahman Al-Jalajel said that 83% of the 1,301 fatalities were unauthorised pilgrims who walked long distances in soaring temperatures to perform the Hajj rituals in and around Mecca. Speaking with Al Ekhbariya TV, the minister said 95 pilgrims were being treated in hospitals, with some airlifted to Riyadh for treatment.

The identification process was delayed as many deceased had no identification documents. The dead were buried in Mecca, without a detailed breakdown.

The fatalities included over 660 Egyptians, with all but 31 being unauthorised pilgrims. Egypt has revoked the licences of 16 travel agencies involved in the illegal facilitation of pilgrims' travel to Saudi Arabia. These agencies used visas not intended for travel to Mecca, leaving pilgrims in the heat without proper accommodation.

The fatalities also included 165 Indonesians, 98 Indians, and dozens from Jordan, Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria, Malaysia, and two US citizens. Jordan and Tunisia cited the soaring heat as a cause of death. AP journalists observed pilgrims fainting, vomiting, and collapsing from the heat, especially on the second and third days of the Hajj.

Historically, deaths are not uncommon at the Hajj, but this year's toll was unusually high. In 2015, a stampede in Mina killed over 2,400 pilgrims. A separate crane collapse that year killed 111.

During this year’s Hajj, temperatures in Mecca ranged between 46-49 degrees Celsius, according to the Saudi National Centre for Meteorology. Some fainted while performing the symbolic stoning of the devil.

Saudi Arabia has invested heavily in crowd control and safety measures, but the sheer number of participants poses challenges. Climate change may increase risks in the future, with a 2019 MIT study predicting extreme temperatures for future Hajj seasons.