The news that a surgical operation continued during a strong earthquake in Kamchatka amazed the public. This incident demonstrated not only the courage of the doctors but also that human life is placed above any danger.
On July 30, 2025, an earthquake occurred in the Pacific Ocean, affecting the city of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. During a surgical operation at the oncology dispensary, all nearby equipment began shaking, monitors trembled. However, the doctors did not panic, nurses and assistants continued fulfilling their duties diligently.
During the operation, the surgeons kept acting to save the patient’s life. One staff member firmly held onto the operating table, another held the table with instruments. During the several-minute tremors, the sound of metal containers falling was heard, but the doctors never left the patient alone.
Kamchatka region’s Minister of Health Oleg Melnikov called the incident “heroism in white coats.” He expressed deep gratitude to the medical team for their professionalism and for maintaining calm. According to him, after the operation, the patient was in the ICU and in stable condition.
The region's governor Vladimir Solodov decided to nominate the team members for state awards. In his Telegram message, he acknowledged that the doctors did not abandon care for the patient even during surgery and emphasized that such bravery deserves the highest praise.
Head of the surgical department Yana Gvozdeva told the “Zvezda” TV channel that it was a laparotomic operation and it could not be interrupted. Leaving the patient in such a state was unacceptable from both medical and ethical points of view.
She described her feelings during the earthquake: “It was the strongest earthquake in my life. Five to six minutes of nonstop shaking. We had only one goal — to save the patient.”
Yana Gvozdeva and her team are planned to receive state awards. Their professional approach proved that even during trials, the medical duty can be fulfilled.
Thus, the event in the Kamchatka operating room caused lively discussions across Russia and beyond. It inspired not only healthcare workers but also ordinary people. This case once again confirmed that human life is more valuable than any danger.
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