Main content

Hajj heat wave: 'It was by the mercy of god that I survived'

Nigerian pilgrim Aisha shares her personal story of the recent tragedy at Saudi Arabia's holy city Mecca and how she was lucky to survive.

鈥淚t was by the mercy of god that I survived it.鈥

She says temperatures were searingly hot in the first two days at Mount Arafat. But the situation worsened after the walk to Mecca during the Tawaf al-Ifadha when pilgrims circle the Ka'aba.

"I have to be hydrating myself with water and be pouring water on my head."

Hundreds of Hajj pilgrims are reported to have died when temperatures hit over 50C in the Saudi Arabian holy city of Mecca.

(Photo: Muslim pilgrims pray around the Kaaba, Islam's holiest shrine, at the Grand Mosque in the holy city of Mecca. Credit: Getty Images)

Release date:

Duration:

1 minute