Saudi Arabia prepares for Hajj as over 1.5 million pilgrims arrive

Around 1.5 million pilgrims have arrived in Saudi Arabia for the Hajj pilgrimage, which runs from June 4 to June 9 this year, local media reported.

Some pilgrims were transported by buses, while others used the metro line launched in 2010.

Ahead of the pilgrimage, Minister of Hajj Affairs Tawfiq Al-Rabiah conducted site inspections. Authorities have set up more than 40 support centers staffed by about 11,000 personnel. In total, around 250,000 people are deployed due to the high temperatures. Shaded rest areas and medical stations have been established to help pilgrims cope with the heat.

The Saudi Ministry of Interior has issued guidelines on the best routes to the holy sites and how to avoid overcrowding.

Weather services warn that temperatures around the holy sites will exceed 40 degrees Celsius. Pilgrims are advised to stay in air-conditioned tents between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., when the heat is at its peak.