Video shows massive waves crashing Army base in Marshall Islands, causing extensive damage

A series of powerful weather-driven waves struck a key U.S. military installation in the Marshall Islands Saturday night, damaging infrastructure and forcing dozens of people to evacuate the island.

"On the night of January 20, 2024, a series of weather-driven waves resulted in significant ocean water inundation of the island of Roi-Namur," said the U.S. Army in a statement Tuesday. The island is the second largest island of the Kwajalein Atoll in the Republic of the Marshall Islands.

Dramatic video footage from the event circulating on social media shows a large wave striking the Army’s dining hall, breaking down doors and knocking people down as water gushes into the building. Seconds later another wave, which appeared to be higher, strikes bringing with it more water. The lights then go off, in a scene that resembles one from a film.

One person was injured in the event, U.S. Army Garrison – Kwajalein Atoll spokesperson, Mike Brantley told Marianas Variety Sunday. The injured was said to be in stable condition and was being treated for their injuries at a local clinic on Kwajalein Island. No deaths were reported.

An Emergency Operations Cell was set up immediately after to "oversee and coordinate all recovery efforts," according to an update by the Army on Facebook. All employees were accounted for, while all "non-mission essential personnel" were evacuated to Kwajalein Island, the missile testing range headquarters, located about 40 miles to the south at the other end of the atoll.

By Tuesday, 80 of the 120 personnel residing in Roi-Namur were evacuated by the U.S. Army Garrison – Kwajalein Atoll, while 60 people remain to "assess damage and restore basic services," said the Army release.

“Clearing the runway on Roi-Namur and assessing its safety is our top priority now that we have evacuated personnel not required for the initial response efforts,” Col. Drew Morgan, a commander of the U.S. Army Garrison – Kwajalein Atoll said in a statement. “Once the runway is open, we can move people and equipment back and forth to start the recovery process.”

'Operation Roi Recovery'

The recovery process, dubbed "Operation Roi Recovery" involving multiple mission partners, may take months to complete, said Brantley.

Aerial photos show massive damage to Roi-Namur’s infrastructure with multiple areas on the island still under water. Many of the quarters were damaged by the flooding of the waves, while the dining facility, Outrigger Bar and Grill, the chapel, and the Tradewinds Theater received moderate or extensive damage, with the automotive complex remaining under water.

U.S. Army Garrison-Kwajalein Atoll supports the U.S. Space and Missile Defense Command’s Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site, which serves as an integral space and missile defense test range for the Department of Defense and houses some of the U.S. Army’s most sophisticated space tracking equipment.

Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at sshafiq@gannett.com and follow her on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter @saman_shafiq7.