Heatwave In India: In India, parts of the country are currently in the grip of a relentless heatwave, with temperatures soaring as high as 46 degrees Celsius in areas. Amidst this sweltering heat, a viral video shows a news anchor in West Bengal's Kolkata collapsing while delivering updates on the heatwave. Lopamudra Sinha, an anchor with Doordarshan's Kolkata branch, experienced a sudden drop in blood pressure while presenting the news, leading to her fainting live on air.
She recounted the experience, stating, "The teleprompter faded away and I blacked out... I collapsed on my chair."
In a video shared on her Facebook page, Sinha attributed her fainting spell to the intense heat and a malfunction in the studio's cooling system. She revealed that she had been feeling unwell and dehydrated prior to the broadcast. In her 21-year career, she said she had never felt the need to drink water during broadcasts, but on this occasion, she found herself parched, signaling for water even as the broadcast neared its end.
The video where she recounts the incident in a Bengali statement also includes visuals of her fainting in the newsroom.
She said that the Air Conditioner wasn't functioning properly and the temperature on the floor shot up because of too many lights due to a morning live event
She narrated, "While reading a heatwave story, my speech started getting slurred. I tried to complete my presentation. The teleprompter faded away and I blacked out." Fortunately, her collapse coincided with a brief animation sequence, providing a temporary reprieve, according to her remarks.
Witnesses rushed to Sinha's aid, splashing water on her face as she lay unconscious.
She extended apologies to her channel and expressed gratitude to the producers for managing the broadcast in her absence. Reflecting on the incident, she remarked, "I never even dreamt that something like this would happen."
She also issued a reminder to viewers, urging them to take necessary precautions amidst the blistering heat. She advised people to plant more trees and reduce the dependence on artificial cooling machines.
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Second Heatwave In India Within A Month
Meanwhile, the heatwave continues to grip several regions, including Odisha, Jharkhand, and parts of West Bengal. This marks the second heatwave spell of the month, following scorching temperatures in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Gujarat.
In Odisha, Baripada and Boudh recorded temperatures as high as 45.2 degrees Celsius, while in West Bengal, Midnapore and Bankura reached 44.5 and 44.6 degrees Celsius, respectively on Saturday, news agency PTI reported. The Meteorological Department has forecast severe heatwave conditions in various districts, attributing the intense heat to dry westerly winds and strong solar insolation.
Panagarh in Paschim Bardhaman district recorded temperatures exceeding 44 degrees Celsius, while towns like Medinipur, Suri, and Jhargram experienced temperatures well above normal levels on Friday.