In the video, the reporter was seen wearing a large wetsuit and struggling to stand amid the harsh weather as waves from the waters of Lake Pontchartrain slammed into the area. Al Roker was also heard communicating with host Chuck Wood from the venue:
In response, the latter commented:
The clip of the coverage went viral immediately upon release, leaving several fans concerned about the weatherman. Many social media users called out the channel for risking Al Roker’s life.
However, Al Roker took to Instagram to assure fans he was safe and also mentioned that he volunteered to do the coverage:
Hurricane Ida hit the Gulf Coast on Sunday and made landfall near Port Fourchon in Louisiana. The hurricane was reportedly regarded as a powerful Category 4 storm with winds ranging up to 150 mph. Strong winds and heavy rainfall left the area completely battered.
Twitter reacts to Al Roker’s live coverage of Hurricane Ida
AI Roker is an American journalist, weather forecaster, TV personality, actor and author. He is recognized as the weather reporter for NBC’s Today. He previously served as the co-host of 3rd Hour Today.
He created the Guinness World Record for longest uninterrupted live coverage on 14 November 2014 by reporting for 34 consecutive hours. In 2018, Al Rocker was honored for spending 40 years at NBC. The Today Plaza was named “Rockerfellar Plaza” to honor the broadcaster.
The forecaster recently left his fans concerned after getting hit by waves while covering the ferocious Hurricane Ida. Critics immediately questioned the network for exposing Al Roker to the threatening weather. Netizens took to Twitter to share their reactions to the situation:
Following the coverage, Al Roker appeared on MSNBC to discuss the terrific storm. He revealed:
However, he also mentioned that the crew maintained proper safety and assured viewers that he was not risking his life during coverage:
The TV meteorologist also jokingly responded to comments about the risk-factor associated with his age:
Hurricane Ida has left the affected areas submerged in water, with several houses severely damaged. Nearly 1,082,955 people in the states of Louisiana and Mississippi were reportedly left without power following the storm.
The National Hurricane Center dubbed the storm as “catastrophic” and “life-threatening”. US President Joe Biden has already arranged emergency resources for regions badly affected by the hurricane.
The storm is expected to weaken once it moves towards the northeast by the middle of the week.
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