Marina beach Chennaiites' haven when heat touches new highs

CHENNAI: Since Kathiri Veyyil is doing its job of pushing up temperatures to new highs and increasing humidity to unbearable levels, denizens are trying to cope by spending a few hours at the Marina beach. The crowd started to swell on the sands, especially in the evenings.

Covering nearly 12 km from Besant Nagar to Fort St George, Marina beach is the second longest beach in the world. While most denizens can shrug off the heat during the summer, Kathiri is Satan’s favourite place in hell.

Daily wagers and most labourers cannot afford air conditioners and air coolers. They toil for 8-10 hours/day even when temperature soars beyond 100-degree Fahrenheit. In the evening, after they reach home, they are eager to visit the Marina beach to enjoy the sea breeze.

“Our home is not properly ventilated. And, we cannot afford to buy an AC. Marina is the only sanctuary for lower-middle class people like us,” said N Krishnamurthy, owner of a petty shop in Triplicane. Like him, hundreds of families can be seen in the evening on the sands of the Marina.

M Balaji, a college student on his semester holidays in the city, visits Marina beach with his friends almost every day. “We play cricket and also enjoy the sea breeze. We don’t have a proper space to play in our residential area. Since it’s a long holiday for us, and to beat the heat, my friends and I come here often. It’s our hangout place,” he smiled, in between playing cricket.

Similarly, a large number of tourists from neighbouring districts and residents from across the city visit the beach. That it’s cost-effective also plays a huge role. At night, you can see thousands of residents from around the beach, sleeping on the sands.

Meanwhile, weather experts have warned of a surge in temperature for the next few days. “Since the southwest monsoon is likely to form over Andaman and Bay of Bengal, the wind will start to move from west, this would take away the evening sea breeze from Marina,” said an expert. “Nights will become warmer once the sea breeze cuts off completely.”

As per the Indian Meteorological Department’s forecast, the maximum temperatures will increase by 2-4 degree Celsius across TN. On Monday, Nungambakkam and Meenambakkam stations recorded 101.2 Fahrenheit and 102.92 Fahrenheit respectively.

The IMD also issued heavy rain at isolated places over The Nilgiris, Ghat areas of Coimbatore, Erode, Tirupur, Dindigul, Dharmapuri, Krishnagiri, Tirupattur, Salem and Tiruvannamalai for the next few days with gusty wind and thunderstorms.