Muslim pilgrims pray at Mount Arafat in Hajj apex

ARAFAT

Muslim pilgrims prayed atop Mount Arafat on Thursday during the high point of the annual Hajj pilgrimage, as Saudi officials called on participants to refrain from being outside during the hottest hours of the day.

Thousands of pilgrims began to gather before dawn around the hill and the surrounding plain where the Prophet Mohammed is believed to have given his last sermon.

After sunset they headed to Muzdalifah, halfway between Arafat and the sprawling tent city of Mina, where they will gather pebbles so they can perform the symbolic "stoning of the devil."

Saudi authorities called on pilgrims to stay inside their tents between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. yesterday when the desert sun is at its harshest.

Fans spraying mist and providing cool air were dispersed at the foot of the mount.

Temperatures this year have already exceeded 40 degrees Celsius as one of the world's largest annual religious gatherings, bringing together devotees from around the globe, kicked off earlier this week.

Officials have beefed up heat mitigation efforts aiming to avoid a repeat of last year's Hajj, which saw 1,301 pilgrims die as temperatures reached 51.8C.

To make this year's pilgrimage safer, authorities have expanded infrastructure, deployed thousands of extra personnel and relied on an arsenal of high-tech tools to help better manage crowds.

Authorities have mobilised more than 40 government agencies and 250,000 officials, doubling their efforts against heat-related illness following the lethal heatwave of 2024.