Surgeons Shield Patient During Violent Earthquake in Japanese Hospital

Surgeons fought back against a 7.1 magnitude earthquake that sent their operating theatre shaking violently while a patient lay under anesthesia. Extraordinary CCTV footage captures the scene at a hospital in Kumamoto, Japan, where medics grabbed hold of the operating table and shielded the victim as the room rocked around them. The team struggled to keep their footing while the theatre lurched from side to side. Equipment rattled across the floor and lights flickered overhead. One medic fell to the ground trying to steady moving machinery, while two others clung tightly to the table to prevent it from shifting during the quake.

Japanese media reported that the procedure stopped briefly but resumed later and finished successfully. The hospital returned to normal service on August 5. This huge earthquake hit Japan's southern island of Kyushu on the afternoon of July 28, leaving about 38 people dead and more than 120 injured. Officials stated the quake triggered an explosion at a shopping centre, brought down a factory chimney, and caused widespread damage across Kumamoto Prefecture. Homes and other buildings collapsed, roads cracked apart, and thousands lost electricity in the aftermath.

More than 79,000 people were left without running water. Around 3,500 homes remained without power for several days as temperatures climbed to 35C. Nearly 9,000 residents sought refuge in emergency shelters. The tremor was also felt across the sea in South Korea. Seven people died when the Aeon Mall in Kashima town collapsed during the earthquake. Hikawa town suffered among the worst damage, with local authorities estimating more than 800 of its 4,500 homes were destroyed or damaged. Many whose homes became uninhabitable spent following nights sleeping in their cars.

Last month terrifying videos emerged showing the power of Japan's deadly earthquake, capturing shoppers running for cover while roads buckled and buildings crumbled. Ferocious tremors struck the country on July 28, with homes and office blocks seen shaking uncontrollably. A train was upturned and an early tsunami warning issued. Rescuers frantically searched through rubble after an explosion at the Aeon shopping centre in Kashima Town reduced the building to ruins.

The second floor of one building gave way moments after the earthquake struck. Social media footage captures people diving for cover on the ground as the shopping center shook violently. Smoke poured into the sky while fire crews fought to control the flames engulfing a structure nearby. Other clips showed a collapsed bridge section resting in Yatsushiro City riverbed and multiple freight wagons derailing at Yatsushiro Station.

Major damage hit the Kyushu Expressway, a key highway connecting Fukuoka and Kagoshima. Parts of this vital road broke away from the main structure or split right down the middle. Shoppers screamed inside a Costco supermarket as the tremor hit. Boxed food toppled over while customers scrambled across knocked-over shelves to stay safe.

Large cracks tore through major roads including an elevated highway section. A goods train derailed according to NHK reports, halting rail services and grounding flights in the region. TSMC evacuated workers from its local plant as a precaution measure, their spokesperson confirmed. Sony and Fujifilm moved staff out of their facilities too, Nikkei newspaper noted.