Sandstorm Hits Indonesian Hajj Pilgrims In Medina, How's The Current Condition?

The return of pilgrims from Indonesia was accompanied by a sandstorm at Madinah Airport, Sunday, August 7 local time. (ANTARA/HO.MCH2022)

JAKARTA - Sandstorm accompanied the repatriation of Indonesian pilgrims to Prince Muhammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport, Medina, Saudi Arabia, Sunday, August 7 local time.

How is the current condition of the pilgrims?

"Alhamdulillah, all are safe. Information for JKS 36 that goes to the airport from the Madinah hotel, all of them have stopped," said the Head of the Haryanto Airport Work Area as quoted from the Hajj Media Center in Madinah, Saudi Arabia, quoted by Antara, Sunday 7 August.

Haryanto ensured that all congregants and officers were safe. He also conveyed that the group of pilgrims who were heading to the airport from the hotel, stopped first.

According to him, he had felt a sandstorm while on the road. Haryanto said the sky was dark, but this was only for a moment and subsided.

"Hopefully the weather will be better, it was dark on the road, but this will be over for a while," said Haryanto.

The storm hit around the time of the Asr call to prayer and lasted only a short time.

As a result of the storm, the drop of pilgrims from the Surabaya flying group (kloter) who are members of SUB 32 from the bus to the Hajj terminal plaza was delayed. Apparently, some of the worshipers have been secured to the plaza, while some were detained on the bus for safety reasons.

"SUB 32 is safe, it has entered Pavilion 5," said Congregation Protection officer (Linjam), Hanif Farizi.

Head of the PPIH Arrival and Departure Service Section, Edayanti Dasril, appealed to officers to protect themselves and the congregation who came to the airport during a sandstorm.

"Sandstorm, please pull over first," said Edayanti during a sandstorm.