A Doordarshan anchor, Lopamudra Sinha, stationed at the Kolkata branch, fainted on live television while reporting on the ongoing heatwave gripping West Bengal. The incident, captured on camera, has since gone viral. In her Facebook post, Sinha spoke about the moment when her blood pressure plummeted drastically during the live news broadcast, leading to her collapse. Despite feeling unwell before the broadcast, she attempted to carry on, assuming a glass of water would make her feel better.
However, due to the nature of the broadcast and the absence of opportunities to hydrate, she was unable to drink water until much later in the program. As she pressed on with the news, Sinha's condition worsened, particularly during a segment covering the heatwave, which ultimately led to her blackout. She described the gradual loss of vision as she struggled to maintain composure during the broadcast. “My speech started slurring, and ultimately I could see the teleprompter fade away,” Sinha described in Bengali. Many areas in the southern part of West Bengal currently experience temperatures over 40 degrees Celsius and are expected to be above normal by three to five notches.
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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.