WATCH: News anchor in West Bengal passes out while reporting live on heatwave

Heatwave takes over parts across India as temperatures cross 40°C

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News anchor faints on live TV as blood pressure drops amid heatwave. — Facebook/Lopamudra Sinha

A news anchor for Indian broadcaster, Doordarshan, in India's West Bengal fell unconscious live on TV in the middle of a report on the recent heatwave engulfing India, Mint reported.

Earlier this week, Lopamudra Sinha, the anchor with the Kolkata branch of Doordarshan, was heard slurring while reporting on live TV before she blacked out.

After a video of the incident went viral on social media, Sinha broke her silence in a Facebook video in which she explained: "The teleprompter faded away and I blacked out... I collapsed on my chair."

The anchor clarified that she fainted after her blood pressure plummeted suddenly because of intense heat as the studio's cooling system had some issues.

Sinha added that she had been feeling unwell and parched before the morning broadcast on that day.

She said that she has never "felt the need to sip water during broadcasts in my 21 years of career", but she asked for a bottle of water while the TV was showing visuals and had only 15 minutes left for the broadcast. 

After the incident, Sinha apologised to her channel and thanked the producers for managing the broadcast after she fainted.

The heatwave in India has been intensifying, especially in Odisha, Jharkhand, and Gangetic West Bengal. 

In Odisha, the highest temperature has been recorded at 45.2°C has been recorded in Baripada on Saturday.

Meanwhile, in West Bengal, Midnapore and Bankura recorded 44.5°C and 44.6°C, respectively.