Performance of Hospitals: Bunda Medical Centre

Both towers suffered extensive damage in the earthquake, though neither is in danger of collapse. The hospital staff has evacuated both buildings and has erected a tent in the parking lot to provide clinical services. One of the nurses told us that everyone, including patients, were able to safely evacuate the buildings after the earthquake such that there were no fatalities.

There are extensive shear cracks in the brick walls at the lower levels of both towers, and one of the wall panels at the second floor suffered blow-out. There is also evidence of yielding in two of the concrete columns at the rear corners of the main tower. At the southwest corner of the patient tower the brick walls were blown out at two floors, and at the opposite corner the brick moved out from the slab but not far enough to fall down to the ground. There are no columns at these corners to confine the brick, which may have allowed the brick to fall out.

The single story connector building was being renovated at the time of the earthquake with masonry infill construction and there was no noticeable damage.

Both towers sustained shear cracking in the brick walls in the 2007 earthquakes. The cracks appear to have been filled with plaster or mortar. Some of these cracks reopened during this earthquake.

Figure 1. Bunda Medical Centre before the earthquake.		Figure 2. Extensive damage in towers, although none were in danger of collapse.		Figure 3. At the southwest corner the brick walls were blown out at two floors.
Figure 4. Yielding in concrete columns at the rear corners.		Figure 5. Extensive shear cracks in the brick walls at the lower levels.		Figure 6. One of the wall panels at the second floor suffered blow-out.