Saudi: Health Ministry Warns Pilgrims Against Sun Exposure Risk In Arafat
The Ministry of Health has warned the Hajj pilgrims about the risks associated with sun exposure in Arafat, particularly during peak hours from 11 am to 4 pm.
The ministry stressed the need to exercise caution, due to the prevailing high temperatures at the holy sites. During this year’s Hajj season temperatures at the Holy Sites are high, posing grave challenges for pilgrims.
Pilgrims are strongly advised to take all the necessary precautions to protect their health and safety. These include using umbrellas to avoid direct sun exposure, staying hydrated by drinking water regularly even if not feeling thirsty, following all health instructions and advice, and avoiding unnecessary exposure to sun or contact with hot surfaces.
The ministry’s advisory came in the midst of the forecast of the National Center for Meteorology (NCM) about high temperatures. The center said that the Arafat area is expected to record temperatures reaching up to 47°C on Arafat Day, with humidity levels of up to 65 percent. “The wind is expected to be southwesterly to westerly during the day, at a speed of 25 km/hour, shifting from north westerly to north easterly at night, at speeds reaching up to 18 km/hour,” the center said in a statement carried by the Saudi Press Agency.
NCM also monitors cloud formations over the Taif highlands, which may impact the Holy Sites. The center has enhanced its technical and operational capabilities to provide even more accurate services on the Day of Arafat, in the service of the pilgrims. It has done so through constant coordination with authorities concerned with pilgrims’ affairs, giving them hourly information about the weather.
Its work is part of the extensive services provided to the pilgrims on this blessed day.
