(13 Jun 2024)
RESTRICTIONS SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Mecca, Saudi Arabia – 13 June 2024
1. SOUNDBITE (English) Baraa Anwer, Associated Press:
“Over 1.5 million Muslim pilgrims flocked to Saudi Arabia’s holy city of Mecca ahead of the start of the Hajj later this week, almost approaching the numbers of pilgrims before the COVID pandemic. Hajj is one of the Five Pillars of Islam. Every Muslim who is physically and financially able is required to perform Hajj at least once in their lifetime."
2. Various from outside Grand Holy Mosque
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Baraa Anwer, Associated Press:
“Pilgrims are practicing their rituals while enduring temperatures above 45 C and more than 60% humidity. Men wear Ihram clothes, which consist of two unsewn white cloths to cover their bodies, but nothing else. As for footwear, only slippers are allowed. Meanwhile, women are just required to wear conservative clothing and cover their hair."
4. Various from outside Grand Holy Mosque
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Baraa Anwer, Associated Press:
"Men pilgrims often use umbrellas to protect themselves from the sun, as they cannot wear hats to cover their heads with anything, while women can. Pilgrims can also wear sunglasses to protect their eyes from the sun.“
6. Various of pilgrims outside the Grand Holy Mosque
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Baraa Anwer, Associated Press:
“Pilgrims are encouraged to stay hydrated by drinking lots of water and other liquids. Some also apply scent-free sunscreen to protect their skin from sunburn and heat-related issues. Medical staff and hydration stations are often available throughout the Hajj pilgrimage routes to assist pilgrims."
8. Wide of large fans at work
9. Mid of people taking water from hydration station
10. Wide of pilgrims walking with umbrellas
STORYLINE:
Muslim pilgrims have been streaming into Saudi Arabia’s holy city of Mecca ahead of the start of the Hajj later this week, as the annual pilgrimage returns to its monumental scale.
Saudi officials say more than 1.5 million foreign pilgrims have arrived in the country by Tuesday, the vast majority by air, from across the world. More are expected, and hundreds of thousands of Saudis and others living in Saudi Arabia will also join them when the pilgrimage officially begins on Friday.
Saudi officials have said they expect the number of pilgrims this year to exceed those in 2023, when more than 1.8 million people performed Hajj, approaching pre-pandemic levels. In 2019, more than 2.4 million Muslims made the pilgrimage.
Saudi authorities control the flow of pilgrims through quotas, allowing each country one pilgrim for every thousand Muslim citizens.
Many were seen sweating heavily from the burning sun. Others were carrying umbrellas to protect themselves from the sun as temperatures reached 42 C (107 F) and 45 C (113 F) during the day on Tuesday and Wednesday respectively.
AP video shot By Bassam Hatoum
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