"Keep Baby Safe": C-Section By Kashmir Doctors During Quake Wins Hearts

Every calamity throws up tales of how the indomitable human spirit prevails over fear and panic to do what is right. The earthquake which shook the whole of North India and several parts of south Asia last night was no exception.

As residents across several cities left their homes during the tremors and rushed to open areas, a group of doctors in the operation theatre of a Kashmir hospital bravely conducted a C-section surgery and kept the baby safe.

The Anantnag district administration has posted on social media a video from inside the operation room. Several healthcare workers, in their scrubs and masks, can be seen performing the surgery when the tremors begin. Medical equipment, overhead lights, a monitor and an IV drip stand can be seen shaking.

A doctor can be heard saying, "baby ko theek rakhna... (keep the baby safe)", while the person recording the video prays. The operation theatre is then plunged into near darkness due to a power cut. What remains in the dim light from a monitor.

The outage lasts for the few seconds, and the tremors abate too. As the lights come back, three healthcare workers at the table continue their work. One of them leans over the table and tells her colleague, "Koi baat nahi. Tussi theek bilkul! (It's no problem, you're completely alright!)"

Sharing the video, the district health department tweeted a message of gratitude for the hospital staff for the way they calmly did their job.

A total of 11 deaths -- 2 in Afghanistan and 9 in Pakistan -- have been reported in last night's earthquake. The 6.5 magnitude earthquake had its epicentre in the Hindu Kush mountain range in Afghanistan.