Doctors continue life-saving surgery amid powerful earthquake in Russia

In a remarkable display of courage and professionalism, a team of surgeons in Russia's far eastern Kamchatka Peninsula continued an ongoing surgery even as a massive 8.8-magnitude earthquake struck the region early Wednesday. The quake, one of the strongest in decades, caused buildings to sway violently and triggered a tsunami up to 4 meters high. Despite the chaos, the medical team chose to proceed with the critical operation, prioritizing the patient’s life over their own safety.

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The earthquake struck 119 kilometers from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, home to 180,000 people. Hospitals across the region were impacted by the tremors, but the surgical team at a local hospital remained focused, successfully completing the procedure. According to Russia’s Health Ministry, the patient is in stable condition.

Kamchatka Governor Vladimir Solodov confirmed infrastructure damage, including to a kindergarten, and said the quake was the strongest in recent memory. Tsunami waves were reported in Severo-Kurilsk and other coastal areas. Warnings extended as far as Japan, Alaska, Hawaii, and South America.

The dedication of the medical professionals during the earthquake has been widely praised across Russia and internationally.