30 Street Dancers Collapsed Due to Extreme Heat Amid Dance Performance
30 street dancers suddenly collapsed due to the scorching heat temperature during a festival in Negros Oriental.
In a video, one could see people hurrying to assist a female performer dressed in a costume for the Pakol Festival in Sta. Catalina, Negros Oriental. Shortly after, several performers also collapsed due to the intense heat.
Some sought refuge under trees, while others were rushed to the local health unit for immediate medical attention. Thankfully, all 30 individuals who fainted recovered, but this incident highlights the danger posed by the dangerous heat index.
On Thursday (April 25, 2024), 39 out of 68 PAGASA stations recorded a heat index of 42 degrees Celsius or higher.
“Medyo matindi po kasi yung temperatures natin recently dahil may high pressure area na nakaapekto satin lalo na nung early April, so Malaki po yung role ng HPA na ang dinadala sa atin ay dryer condition at mataas na temperature,” said PAGASA Climatologist Dr. John Manalo.
(The temperatures have been quite severe recently due to the high-pressure area, especially in early April. The high-pressure area brings dryer conditions and higher temperatures)
The current extreme heat is similar of a heatwave experienced in other countries. According to the World Meteorological Organization, a heatwave is a period of abnormally hot weather lasting from a few days to months, with unusually high maximum and minimum temperatures.
However, our current conditions fall short of being classified as a heatwave according to PAGASA’s definition, which requires a temperature increase of at least five degrees compared to the maximum average temperature over the past three decades.
In a previous post, a group of workers call on employers to take measures to ease extreme heat at work
Social media users have expressed their concerns and reactions to this incident:
