Tamil Nadu Health Minister Ma Subramanian confirmed on Monday that five individuals lost their lives due to the effects of excessive heat during the Air Force Air Show at Marina Beach in Chennai on Sunday. “All five deaths were a result of high temperatures. A total of 102 people were affected by the heat, with 93 initially requiring hospitalization. Five individuals were brought in dead—two at Omandurar General Hospital, two at Royapet General Hospital, and one at Rajiv Gandhi Hospital,” Ma Subramanian stated.
He added, “Fortunately, the situation has improved, with only seven patients remaining in the hospitals—four at Omandurar Hospital, two at Rajiv Gandhi Hospital, and one at Royapet Hospital.” The Health Minister also mentioned that precautionary measures were communicated ahead of the event. “The IAF had already informed attendees about the precautions they should take, such as bringing umbrellas and water bottles,” he noted.
In a previous post on X, Ma Subramanian claimed that the state government had made all necessary arrangements in accordance with the IAF’s requests. “The full administrative cooperation of the Government of Tamil Nadu was extended to successfully conduct the Indian Air Force Air Adventure Program in Chennai. A coordination meeting was held under the chairmanship of the Chief Secretary with Indian Air Force officers and Tamil Nadu government officials, and multiple consultative meetings were conducted at the departmental level. All arrangements were made with the demands of the Air Force in mind,” he wrote.
However, the opposition blamed the DMK government for inadequate administrative preparations. BJP Tamil Nadu Vice President Narayanan Thirupathy criticized the government, stating, “While the entire city of Chennai was enjoying the Air Show, it is unfortunate that the Chennai Corporation, the Tamil Nadu government, and the Chennai police did not cooperate with the public. The maladministration and poor traffic management by the state police resulted in the loss of five lives and hundreds being admitted to various hospitals in Chennai. This is due to a lack of proper planning and intelligence. The government must take responsibility for this and ensure it doesn’t happen again in the future.”
The Indian Air Force organized the Air Show at Chennai’s Marina Beach ahead of the upcoming 92nd Air Force Day on October 8.
