All government sectors mobilize their potentials to receive pilgrims arriving at Halat Ammar border crossing point in the northern part of the Kingdom. — SPA
JEDDAH — A total of 794,036 pilgrims have arrived in the Kingdom till Wednesday evening, according to statistics issued by the Saudi General Directorate of Passports (Jawazat), Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported on Thursday.
The Jawazat said the number of pilgrims arriving by air stood at 761,169, by land 23,746, and by sea 9,121.
A total of 106,766 male and female pilgrims have arrived in the Kingdom via the Makkah Route Initiative (MRI) on board 266 flights during the period Dhul Qa’dah 1–21. Of these, 58,009 arrived in Jeddah and 48,757 in Madinah.
Meanwhile, the total number of pilgrims who arrived in Madinah have so far reached 504,083, according to daily statistics issued by the Committee of Haj and Visit in Madinah region, SPA said Thursday.
The statistical data showed that 314,341 pilgrims left Madinah heading for the holy sites, while the total number of pilgrims remaining in Madinah until Wednesday was 189,717.
The Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture has disclosed that it has cleared some 539,153 heads of livestock during the period Dhul Qa’dah 1–21, within the ministry’s plan to cover the demand in the local market and the 1440H Haj season.
The ministry gave the breakdown of figures for the consignments that arrived in the Kingdom via Jeddah Islamic Port and were cleared. They included 537,718 heads of sheep and 1435 camels.
In addition, there were 92,633 heads of sheep in consignments for the Kingdom’s Project for Hady and Adahi (i.e., Kingdom’s project for sacrificial meat).
The ministry said that it has laid down controls for the entry of livestock into Makkah. They aim to ensure the safety of the sacrificial animals and prevent the spread of epidemics, as well as the beginning of follow up by the Animal and Plant Quarantine at Jeddah Islamic Port and implementation of all quarantine procedures on imported livestock until they are cleared.
After that the trucks loaded with livestock are organized and followed until they arrive at their assigned destinations, apart from following up the livestock from the local market through the ministry’s branches in the governorates of Jeddah, Al-Jumoom, and Al-Leeth.
The Civil Defense has published short videos on SPA Twitter to give the pilgrims safety guidelines during Haj.
One of the videos advises the pilgrim to take precautions against suffering a sunstroke. The precautionary measures include avoiding exposure to sun’s rays; that is, to avoid standing or sitting under the direct sun’s rays. Secondly, the pilgrim must use an umbrella, if necessary.
The Civil Defense gave the pilgrim five-pronged guidelines for using electricity. They include the necessity for electrical appliances, devices and connections to be in conformity with the standards and specifications, the pilgrim must avoid touching electrical appliances and connections with wet hands, he must not overload the appliance or device, he must not use bad quality connections or wiring, and finally, the pilgrim is advised to disconnect the appliance or device after using electricity. — SPA
