Surgeons Shield Patient As 7.1-Magnitude Earthquake Hits Japan During Operation

A 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck while surgeons were operating on a patient at a hospital in Kumamoto, Japan, forcing the medical team to deal with violent shaking inside the operating theatre. Footage from the operating theatre shows medics grabbing the operating table and shielding the patient as the room shakes around them, reported the Daily Mail.

The team struggles to keep their footing as the theatre lurches from side to side, with equipment rattling across the room and lights flickering overhead.

One medic is knocked to the floor while trying to steady moving machinery, while two others cling to the operating table to stop it from shifting during the quake, reported NYPost.

Watch Video Here:

熊本大地震が発生した時の病院の手術室の映像が公開されていたがとにかく怖すぎる pic.twitter.com/vPA5SdsW4i

— Mahmoud Khaled (@zsantinhaop) August 6, 2026

According to NHKOne, the procedure was briefly interrupted but later resumed and was completed successfully. The hospital returned to normal service on August 5.

The 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck Japan's southern island of Kyushu on the afternoon of July 28, leaving about 38 people dead and more than 120 injured.

Homes and other buildings collapsed, roads cracked apart, and thousands of properties lost electricity in the aftermath.

More than 79,000 people were left without running water, while around 3,500 homes remained without power for several days as temperatures climbed to 35C. Around 9,000 residents sought refuge in emergency shelters. The tremor was also felt across the sea in South Korea.