IN PICTURES | High tides wreck havoc in Foreshore Estate

High tides damaged more than 50 houses at Foreshore Estate in Chennai. The waves went destructive during the early hours on Tuesday, leaving the fishermen community in distress. The intensity of the high tides was severe and the escalating wave which hit the tenements carried away chunks of sand weakening the foundation and making the houses unstable and unsuitable for living.

High tides damaged more than 50 houses at Foreshore Estate in Chennai. The waves went destructive during the early hours on Tuesday, leaving the fishermen community in distress. ( EPS | Ashwin Prasath) 

For several years the Foreshore Estate, a prominent fishing locality located south of Marina beach is constantly wreaked during southwest monsoon.( EPS | Ashwin Prasath)

Houses were found to be fully or partially damaged.The intensity of the high tides were so severe that one full row of houses along a one km stretch was washed away.( EPS | Ashwin Prasath)

For the last 15 days the sea was battering the Foreshore Estate triggering massive sea erosion.( EPS | Ashwin Prasath)

Every time an escalating wave hit the tenements, it carried away chunks of sand weakening the foundation and making the houses unstable and unsuitable for living.( EPS | Ashwin Prasath)

People trying to retrieve the plastic containers and floating household items that were washed off by the tides. ( EPS | Ashwin Prasath)

During Southwest monsoon, high wave energy gets concentrated and is released in few isolated areas which triggers coastal erosion.( EPS | Ashwin Prasath)

With Marina beach in the vicinity, building hard structures like sea wall or groynes can lead to multiple issues. So the Government has to work out with some soft engineering solutions to avoid havoc in the future.( EPS | Ashwin Prasath)