In Japan, doctors shielded a patient with their own bodies during a powerful earthquake
A powerful earthquake struck a Japanese hospital right in the middle of surgeries. The medical staff did not abandon their patients and used their own bodies to shield a patient on the operating table from the equipment that had begun to shake. Despite the strong tremors, all four surgeries that were underway at the time were successfully completed.
At Kumamoto Hospital in Yatsushiro, Japan, the earthquake caught medical staff in the middle of surgeries. When the strong tremors began, the doctors did not leave the operating tables but first ensured the patients’ safety. During the earthquake, equipment suspended above the operating table began to sway violently. The table itself also shifted from its position due to the tremors.
The medical staff immediately rushed to hold the patient and the instruments needed for the surgery. They literally shielded the patient with their own bodies to protect him from the equipment and potential falling objects. At that moment, four surgeries were being performed simultaneously at the hospital. Despite the earthquake, the medical staff did not stop working and were able to successfully complete all procedures.
A 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck Kumamoto Prefecture on July 28. The strong tremors caught medical staff by surprise, but thanks to their quick response, patients were not left unprotected. Footage from the operating room, showing medical staff shielding a patient during the earthquake, illustrates just how challenging the situation was. Doctors had to simultaneously hold down equipment, stabilize the operating table, and continue their work amid strong tremors. Despite the dangerous situation, all four surgeries were completed successfully, according to .
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