CHENNAI, India: A tragic incident occurred during an airshow in Chennai, India, where soaring temperatures and overcrowded conditions led to the deaths of at least five spectators. The airshow, which aimed to achieve record attendance, attracted hundreds of thousands of attendees who braved the blistering sun, with temperatures reaching 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit) on Sunday.
Reports from the Press Trust of India indicate that the victims succumbed to heat-related ailments, with officials confirming that causes included “heatstroke and exhaustion” as well as “dehydration and stress.” Eyewitness accounts described the scene as “suffocating,” with congested roads and overcrowded public transport compounding the distress for attendees. The Indian Air Force had been promoting the event vigorously in an attempt to set a new record in the Limca Book of Records, which documents notable achievements in India.
In response to the situation, Tamil Nadu’s state minister for medical and family welfare, Ma Subramanian, asserted that authorities had made “adequate” provisions for the event, including medical staff and hydration stations. Despite this, the extreme heat raised concerns, particularly as climate change is contributing to increasingly severe heatwaves in the region. This incident underscores the urgent need for effective crowd management and climate resilience strategies, particularly during large-scale public events in high-temperature environments .
