A doctor in northeastern China has been hailed as a hero after a viral video captured him pushing his bicycle through waist-deep floodwaters to reach the hospital and perform two critical surgeries, despite torrential rain bringing the city to a standstill.
A doctor in northeastern China has been hailed as a hero after a viral video captured him pushing his bicycle through waist-deep floodwaters to reach the hospital and perform two critical surgeries, despite torrential rain bringing the city to a standstill. The incident unfolded on July 13, when Shenyang in Liaoning province was battered by an unprecedented downpour that dumped 230mm of rain. According to state news agency Xinhua, local authorities described it as the city's heaviest rainfall since 1951. Flooded roads and widespread transport disruptions forced officials to advise residents to suspend work and stay indoors.
However, medical workers were among those required to remain on duty.
The man in the now-viral video was identified as Chu Zhenhao, an obstetrician at Shengjing Hospital, one of northeastern China's leading medical institutions. Footage filmed by a passer-by showed Chu wading through waist-high water while pushing his bicycle after the floodwaters made cycling impossible.
Related Articles
Chu later revealed that two pregnant women were waiting for him to perform complicated surgeries.
"So no matter what, I must try my best to reach the hospital to perform the surgeries," Chu said.
"As a doctor, I must put patients' safety as my top priority in my heart. If we took a break, patients would be in a risky situation."
Chu explained that he usually cycles to work but had underestimated the severity of the flooding.
"I did not expect the water to be so deep that I could not ride my bike through it," he said. Despite the extreme weather, Chu said every one of his colleagues reported for duty that day.
"I am only an ordinary member of tens of thousands of medical staff in the city. Not only us, but also people of other industries stayed at their positions. The public's praise should go to all those people," Chu said.
Earlier this month, a firefighter in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region also drew widespread praise after being filmed eating lunch in heavy rain while responding to severe flooding.
