Kathmandu: The Nepalese government says more than 10,000 Nepalese migrant workers have died in extreme heat in the Gulf. The causes of death are not getting enough food and water and working long hours during the day.
The highest death tolls were in Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. Rajan Prasad Shrestha, director general of the Foreign Employment Office, said the main cause was a heart attack. He said the deaths were natural but would be further investigated.
About 900 Nepali workers die every year from heart disease. Since 2008, 2,938 workers have died in Saudi Arabia and 3,533 in Malaysia. Of these, 2,123 died of heart disease. The number of natural deaths is 1,878.
Nepalis migrate most to the Gulf countries for employment. About five lakh workers go abroad every year. There are currently four lakh workers in Saudi Arabia and three lakh in Qatar.