Eugen Leitl <eugen@leitl.org> writes:

However, the severe shaking disturbed sump sludge within the diesel tanks. Consequently during subsequent hours, a generator failed several times, leaving the emergency department clinical areas, ICU, blood bank, radiology department, and other areas with no power."

Odd that that was still an issue, during the Auckland blackout in 1999 the same thing happened, generators that were tested every six months and kept topped up failed when they were run over a longer period because the fuel level got down to the sludge at the bottom which got drawn into the generator. I'd have thought they'd have taken steps do deal with this by now... Peter.