Reporter covers quake in wedding gown

One reporter in China went above and beyond the call of duty when she abandoned her own wedding to report on the massive earthquake that struck the city of Ya’an in southwest China Saturday.

Appearing on-air in her wedding gown, complete with the veil, the TV reporter covered the breaking news and interviewed residents affected by the quake that killed at least 156 people.

According to The South China Morning Post, a photo of the working bride, identified as Chen Ying, went viral on Sina Weibo — a Chinese microblogging site similar to Twitter — as many netizens praised the reporter for her “professional spirit” during the tragic event.

As Shanghaiist notes, Chen was apparently en route to the ceremony when the earthquake struck Saturday morning (no word on whether she rescheduled the ceremony).

The coverage — striking for its juxtaposition of a reporter wearing a wedding dress in the midst of disaster — is the latest example of an off-duty professional jumping into action. Earlier this week, several reporters who ran the Boston Marathon, quickly shifted into reporter mode in order to provide firsthand coverage of the bombing.