The entire accident was caught on CCTV camera on the highway where the car can be seen suddenly changing lanes before skidding off the road and overturning several times

A diplomat in Saudi Arabia said on Wednesday that 68 Indian nationals died during the hajj pilgrimage this year marked by searing heath, bringing the overall tally to more than 600.

“We have confirmed around 68 dead… Some are because of natural causes and we had many old-age pilgrims. And some are due to the weather conditions, that’s what we assume,” the diplomat, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told AFP.

The new toll comes after two Arab diplomats told AFP on Tuesday that 550 deaths had been recorded during the hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam that all Muslims with the means must perform at least once.

That figure included 323 Egyptians and 60 Jordanians, the Arab diplomats said, and one specified that nearly all the Egyptians died “because of heat”.

Fatalities have also been confirmed by Indonesia, Iran, Senegal, Tunisia and Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan region, though in many cases authorities have not specified the cause.

The total reported dead so far is 645, according to an AFP tally.

Last year more than 200 pilgrims were reported dead, most of them from Indonesia.

Saudi Arabia has not provided information on fatalities, though it reported more than 2,700 cases of “heat exhaustion” on Sunday alone.

The diplomat who confirmed the Indian fatalities said there were also some Indian pilgrims missing, but he declined to provide an exact number.

“This happens every year… We can’t say that it is abnormally high this year,” he said.

“It’s somewhat similar to last year but we will know more in the coming days.”

For the past several years the hajj has fallen during the sweltering Saudi summer.

According to a Saudi study published last month, temperatures in the area where rituals are performed are rising 0.4 degrees Celsius (0.72 degrees Fahrenheit) each decade.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

At least 25 people died and more than 60 people were hospitalised after reportedly consuming toxic liquor in Tamil Nadu’s Kallakurichi district, officials said on Thursday.

The officials have expressed concern that the death count may go up.

Kallakurichi District Collector MS Prasanth visited those undergoing treatment in Government Medical College Hospital in the district.

Chief Minister MK Stalin expressed shock over the deaths and said that action had been taken against officials who failed to prevent it.

“I was shocked and saddened to hear the news of the deaths of people who had consumed adulterated liquor in Kallakurichi. Those involved in the crime have been arrested in this matter. Action has also been taken against the officials who failed to prevent it,” Stalin said in a post on X.

“Immediate action will be taken if the public informs about those involved in such crimes. Such crimes that ruin the society will be suppressed with an iron fist,” he added.

TN Governor RN Ravi condoled the deaths and wished for a speedy recovery of the victims.

“I was very shocked to know that many lives were lost in Kallakurichi due to consumption of counterfeit liquor. Many others are fighting for their lives in critical condition. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and a speedy recovery to those admitted to the hospitals,” a post shared by Tamil Nadu Raj Bhavan mentioned.

The governor raised concern on continued reports on deaths due to consumption of spurious liquor from different partsof the state.

“From time to time, news emerges from different parts of our state about deaths due to consumption of spurious liquor. They reflect continuing shortcomings in curbing illicit alcohol production and consumption. This is a matter of serious concern,” the post further stated.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)