Two Million Haj Pilgrims From Across The World This Time

The Saudi Arabian government is expected to receive about two million pilgrims from throughout the world for the Haj this year.

Its Culture and Information Ministry's international communications centre in a statement today said until now, 1.497 million pilgrims had arrived in the Holy Land to perform the fifth tenet of Islam starting Aug 30.

It said the number of international pilgrims kept increasing each year from only 24,000 in 1941 to 1.325 million in 2016.

"Last year, 1.86 million pilgrims including from Saudi Arabia itself did the Haj," the statement said.

Meanwhile, each pilgrim is given a badge with number and colour of their respective accommodation tent to ease looking for their tent if they lose their way.

"The tents are arranged systematically and in lines at locations that are labelled with numbers and colours based on the countries of origin of the pilgrims," the statement said.

It said as a measure to prevent fire outbreaks, the tents were made of Teflon polymer covered with glass fibre and which were also equipped with sprinklers and fire extinguishers.

Over 17,000 trained civil defence members and 3,000 vehicles with the latest technology are being stationed at various locations to ensure a high level of security for the pilgrims.

In addition, more than 2,000 members of the Red Crescent Society are deployed in Makkah, Madinah and other ritual sites, while 300 ambulances, 30 motorcycles, 113 ambulance centres and eight air ambulances are on standby to render services to the Haj pilgrims this season.

Source: Bernama