Most parts of southern China have been affected by recent torrential rains. Floods in southern and eastern China have left at least 186 people dead and another 45 missing, according to a report by Xinhua News Agency on July 4.

Soldiers, firefighters and armed police officers were quickly dispatched to flood-affected areas for rescue work, where they set to work saving as many lives as possible from the rubble. Even in the midst of the deadly floods along the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, there have been many miraculous tales of rescue and heroism.

Photos of soldiers carrying sand bags through muddy fields in the heavy rain have abounded. Every soldier so far has carried around 300 bags on average, running back and forth over 600 times a day. They have had only water and steamed buns as sustenance. As a result, many people wish to pay tribute to the soldiers who have saved so many lives.

Netizens expressed their respect and gratitude for the soldiers on social media platforms like Weibo and WeChat. Some people have commented in response that citizens must always remember the soldiers--not only in times of natural disaster.