Patients Evacuated from Samaritan Hospital After M 6.7 Earthquake Shakes Palu

A magnitude 6.7 earthquake that shook Palu, Central Sulawesi, forced the evacuation of patients and visitors at the Samaritan Hospital. A local resident named Salam reported that guards and patients panicked during the tremor and were assisted by hospital staff in evacuating the building.

According to Salam, the shaking was strong enough to trigger panic, prompting patients, their families, and healthcare workers to rush out of the building to avoid potential risks. Hospital staff instructed everyone not to panic and to seek safe areas outside the building, with patients being gathered in the car park.

Video footage circulating showed patients assembled in the hospital grounds, with security personnel helping those in wheelchairs to evacuate. All patients who were able to walk left their rooms independently, while family members also assisted in the evacuation to open areas.