The continuous heavy rainfall that hit Central China's Henan province this week not only made history, but caused severe and deadly flooding. Zhengzhou, the provincial capital, was at the epicenter of the rainstorm. Many hospitals in the city were severely affected by flood water and power outages leading to trapped patients and doctors requiring urgent rescue, safe transfer, medical treatment and nursing care.

The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University was among the most severely affected due to its location on lower terrain. On the evening of July 20, all power was cut off, and dozens of operations were interrupted. More than 600 patients in the ICU lost equipment support, and a large number of patients in general wards were left desperate for oxygen. Nearly 3,000 medical staff stuck to their posts and increased their ward visits to soothe patients' anxiety.