A massive earthquake with a magnitude of 8.8 struck Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula, generating a tsunami that reached up to 4 meters (13 feet) in height. In a remarkable display of resilience, a video circulating online shows medical professionals in an operating room continuing a surgical procedure undeterred by the tremors. The operating table and equipment shook violently, yet the surgical team maintained their composure and successfully completed the operation. The patient is reported to be in stable condition following the surgery. The earthquake, one of the most powerful in recent history, also triggered evacuation alerts across parts of Japan and the United States, and caused damage to buildings.
Kamchatka Governor Vladimir Solodov described the earthquake as the strongest in decades, noting damage to a kindergarten. Tsunami waves were recorded along the coast of Kamchatka and in other areas including California and Hawaii.