Heatstroke kills five people at military air show in southern India's Chennai

More than 100 spectators are taken to hospital as officials face criticism for poor management of 1.5 million crowd

The Sarang Helicopter Display Team take part in the event in Chennai attended by more than 1.5 million people. EPA

Five spectators died of heatstroke and more than 100 were taken to hospital after crowd of more than 1.5 million people stood in sweltering heat to watch a military air show in India’s southern city of Chennai.

Spectators gathered at Marina Beach, along the Bay of Bengal in Tamil Nadu state, on Sunday afternoon to watch a display by more than 70 Indian Air Force aircraft to mark its 92nd anniversary. It was the first such event in the city in more than two decades and was widely promoted by the military, which said it aimed to set an attendance record.

Many people travelled to the event by train, subway and bus, arriving as early as 7am to find a place to watch. The event was scheduled to start at 11am and run until 1pm, when the temperature hit 32ºC.

“All five deaths were due to high temperatures,” Tamil Nadu Health Minister Ma Subramanian said on Monday. “A total of 102 people were affected by the soaring heat, with 93 initially requiring hospitalisation.”

After the event, hundreds walked up to 4km on amid soaring temperatures and a lack of public transport. Five people fainted and died from the heat, including a motorcyclist who collapsed in the saddle, while more than 100 were taken to hospital after suffering from heatstroke and dehydration. Heatstroke is a life-threatening condition caused when the body’s temperature rises to about 40ºC.

Survivors complained that authorities were unprepared for such a large the crowd and that supplies of drinking water were insufficient.

“Poor planning of traffic routes. Public transport, local trains not increased, one train in 30 minutes. No water provided for public even the usual vendors were removed, I personally got water from a local household,” Sandesh Tayde, who attended the event, said on X.

Mr Subramanian refuted the allegations and said state authorities co-ordinated with the IAF to plan the event. Chennai police sent 7,500 personnel and 1,500 home guards for security, he added.

“Arrangements were made keeping in mind IAF's demands,” the minister said. “The Chennai Corporation and Metro Water, too, made adequate temporary toilets and drinking water arrangements. Forty ambulances were stationed with paramedic teams.”

India has a poor record of crowd management and such accidents are common across the country, including at religious events. At least 122 people were crushed to death and more than 100 injured in northern India in July when thousands of devotees gathered to hear a popular Hindu preacher in the Hathras district of Uttar Pradesh.

At least 224 pilgrims were killed in 2008 in a crush at a hilltop temple in western Rajasthan, with more than 400 injured. It was one of the deadliest accidents in the country's history.