The evacuation of Houston's main public hospital was delayed because the facility was surrounded by waist deep water caused by Hurricane Harvey, according to an article on the Seattle PI website.
Bryan McLeod, a spokesman for Harris Health System, said that minor flooding in the basement of Ben Taub Hospital and a busted sewer pipe forced officials to close the kitchen.
McLeod said the flooding resulted in only a small amount of water in the basement and did not affect the hospital's power supply. But shutting down the kitchen leaves the hospital with a limited supply of dry food for patients.
McLeod says the evacuations won't start until the water recedes from around the facility and will likely take several days. The hospital is part of the Texas Medical Center, and has 350 patients.
A 'Superbug' Is on the Rise in Hospitals
The Next Generation of Security Tech in Healthcare Facilities
Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of St. Petersburg Opens
Why More Facilities are Adding Gender Neutral Restrooms
Massachusetts Hospital Cyberattack Reflects Growing Vulnerability in Healthcare Systems