14 dead, 17 missing in extreme heat during Muslim haj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia

Seventeen other people are missing, the Jordanian Foreign Ministry announced on Sunday, according to the state agency Petra.

The ministry initially confirmed the deaths of six Jordanian pilgrims from heatstroke.

The pilgrimage began Friday evening in Mecca, under scorching heat.

Faced with extreme temperatures of more than 40 degrees Celsius, the authorities called on the faithful to bring parasols. They were also advised not to stay outside during the particularly hot midday period and to drink plenty of water.

Last year, around 2 million pilgrims took part in the pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia, which is one of the five fundamental duties of Islam.

Buses and trains are used to transport the many worshipers to the holy sites, but the large crowds and intense heat still pose a challenge for pilgrims and police.

In recent decades, there have also been several major tragedies resulting in hundreds of deaths due to overpopulation.