This is the terrifying moment freak waves smashed down doors at a Marshall Islands Army base, caused the evacuation of ‘non-mission personnel’ and sent furniture flying.
The bizarre incident happened around 9pm Saturday when three- to four-foot ‘weather-induced waves’ ravaged through Roi-Namur, an island in the northern part of the Kwajalein Atoll.
One person sustained injuries to their lower body and was treated at the clinic on Kwajalein Island. That person is in stable condition, according to Army Public Affairs Officer Mike Brantley.
Flooding brought on by the massive waves also hit two airports at Ailinglaplap Atoll, a ring-shaped island surrounded by coral.
‘We have accountability of all employees and evacuated all non-mission essential personnel to Kwajalein,’ the U.S. Army said in a statement on Sunday night.
People are seen behind the door that is seen being busted down by forceful waves just outside the dining hall in the Marshall Islands
One person sustained injuries to their lower body and was treated at the clinic on Kwajalein Island. That person is now in stable condition
Rocks, debris and coral were left from the impact and are expected to keep the airports closed for weeks as other islands in the the atoll reported flooding and moderate damage.
The video has since circulated online and shows the very moment the gigantic waves make their way through the Army’s dining hall.
Someone from inside the hall captures the moment the rushing water breaks through just outside the entrance, as people out there try to grab what they can and escape.
With barely any time, the forceful waves quickly crack the glass on the double doors and break them down.
Water continues to flow into the building as people inside the dining hall brace themselves, holding on to available furniture and looking afraid.
One man hovers over a piece of furniture as he grips a green bottle of beer in his hand and watches the surge roll through.
Two waves were reported at the disastrous scene, as the first one entered the base and the second one entered the dining hall and reached a height of five feet, according to Marianas Variety.
‘U.S. Army Garrison-Kwajalein Atoll and mission partners have established an Emergency Operations Cell to oversee and coordinate all recovery efforts,’ the Army said in a statement.
Large tree branches are seen caught in heavy waves that broke through the building on the island
The U.S. Army base at Marshall Islands is home to members of the Army, government civilian employees, family members, U.S. contract personnel and host nation personnel
A damage assessment that was conducted by the Army Sunday morning revealed ‘how water inundation washed over’ Rio-Namur, and flooded ‘at least one-third of it.’
Flooding also occurred in other buildings and ‘all of the automotive warehouse area,’ the Army said.
A small island just three miles of Rio-Namur was unaffected by the wave blast and the overall flooding, David Paul, a Kwajalein Member of Parliament said.
Roi-Namur is home to some of the US Army’s most advanced space tracking equipment that is part of the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Test Site.
Along with members of the Army, the base also houses government civilian employees, family members, US contract personnel and host nation personnel.
‘These fine people come together to form a diverse element that is best described as “Team Kwaj’,’ the US Army said on their website.
A damage assessment that was conducted by the Army Sunday morning revealed ‘how water inundation washed over’ Rio-Namur, and flooded ‘at least one-third of it’
Two waves were reported at the disastrous scene, as the first one entered the base and the second one entered the dining hall and reached a height of five feet
Both the islands of Kwajalein and Roi-Namur are home to approximately 1,300 Americans that work for the US government, Department of Defense and are US Contractors.
Marshall Islands is a country in the central Pacific Ocean and is composed of more than 1,200 islands and inlets.
The US assumed military and administrative control over the Marshall Islands from Japan in 1944 following WWII.
In 1983, the Marshal Islands went on to sign a Compact of Free Association with the US and gained independence.