CHENNAI: Despite more than 10 lakh people at the Marina beach for the air show, there was no death due to stampede. However, all the deaths were heat-related. Reason: Organizers failed to consider climate change or the impact of wet bulb temperature.
Prabhakaran Veeraarasu, an environmental engineer to the NGO, Poovulagin Nanbargal, explained that Nungambakkam recorded a temperature of 34.3-degree Celsius on Sunday with over 70 per cent humidity.
“This will feel like 42-degree Celsius, and it’s due to the wet bulb factor. When wet bulb temperature reaches 30 degrees, it will cause heat-related ailments. During the air show, the wet bulb temperature was 30.1 degrees. During high wet bulb temperatures, the human body will lose its ability to sweat and cool down itself,” he explained.
Veeraarasu opined that officials did not consider the climate change factor when planning huge events. “The air show debacle was a warning. Temperature could have increased by 2 degrees at the spot due to the congregation of 10 lakh people. The time and location for the venue were also wrong,” he opined.
The engineer also pointed to a study conducted by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), which said that Chennai was the hottest mega city in the country with its summer average heat index at 37 degrees. The impact of humidity on Chennai’s heat index is 6.9 degrees, the study had said.