When Adrielle Smith is old enough, what a story her parents will share about the day she was born.

That happened early Monday in Houston, where historic flooding caused by Hurricane Harvey left Greg and Andrea Smith, who had gone into labour, trapped in their apartment and unable to make contact with either 911 or the Coast Guard.

As first reported by People, the soon-to-be parents - both doctors, coincidentally - made preparations for a risky at-home delivery, though they had no medical supplies and no specific specialisation in obstetrics.

(He's a paediatric anaesthesiologist. She works in geriatrics. A doctor friend with experience delivering babies was prepared to talk Greg through the procedure via Skype, People's Susan Keating reported.)

Several other medical professionals also live in the Smiths' apartment community. A request for help went out to the entire complex on Sunday, and before long help arrived with equipment and supplies.

As Greg Smith's mother boiled the instruments to sterilise them, a decision was made to move the delivery to a second-floor apartment, away from the floodwaters.

Someone in the group sent a message to an acquaintance whose father lives near a fire station. He alerted the firefighters and, unknown to the Smiths, a rescue mission was hatched.

As Greg Smith prepared for the delivery, a dump truck came lumbering down the street. He ran outside to hail the people inside.

Andrea and Greg Smith (Andrea Smith/Facebook)

They responded, "We're here for you," he told People.

What happened next will be remembered as among the devastating storm's most poignant moments, a testament to human will and compassion.

One by one, the Smiths' neighbours clasped hands and formed a chain in the waist-high water, carefully guiding Andrea and Greg to the truck's bed, where they climbed on board and were driven to the hospital.

Neighbour Molly Akers, who captured the moment on video, said on Facebook, "Moments like these are incredibly precious and remind me of all the good in the world."

For the Smiths, their good fortune seemed like divine intervention. Having twice miscarried, according to People, they'd become intently focused on their faith with hopes of getting pregnant again.

The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Show all 19 1 /19 The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey A tattered U.S. flag damaged in Hurricane Harvey, flies in Conroe, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Lisa Rehr holds her four-year old son Maximus, after they lost their home to Hurricane Harvey, as they await to be evacuated with their belongings from Rockport, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey People line up for food as others rest at the George R. Brown Convention Center AP Photo/LM Otero The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Volunteers with The American Red Cross register evacuees at the George R. Brown Convention Center Reuters/Nick Oxford The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Soldiers with the Texas Army National Guard help the residents of Cyprus Creek Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Residents wade through floodwater Reuters/Nick Oxford The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Residents walk along the flooded roadway of Texas 249 as they evacuate their adjacent neighborhoods EPA The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey A man floats past a truck submerged on a freeway flooded by Tropical Storm Harvey on Sunday AP The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey People are rescued by airboat as they evacuate from flood waters from Hurricane Harvey in Dickinson, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey James Archiable carries his bike through the flooded intersection at Taylor and Usenet near downtown Houston, Texas EPA The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey A massive sinkhole opened up on a motorway in Rosenburg, a city 25 miles southwest of Houston, Texas Rosenberg Police The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey People are rescued from flood waters from Hurricane Harvey in an armored police mine-resistant ambush protected vehicle in Dickinson, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey People are rescued from flood waters from Hurricane Harvey on a boat in Dickinson, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Evacuees are airlifted in a US Coast Guard helicopter after flooding due to Hurricane Harvey inundated neighborhoods in Houston, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Evacuees leave a US Coast Guard helicopter after being rescued from flooding due to Hurricane Harvey in Houston, Texas Reuters The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Residents look on at a submerged motorway during a break in the rain in Houston, Texas EPA The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey People photograph the submerged motorway interchange EPA The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Debris lies on the ground after a building was destroyed by Hurricane Harvey in Aransas Pass, Texas AP The aftermath of Hurricane Harvey Dominic Dominguez searches for his boat in a boat storage facility that was heavily damaged by Hurricane Harvey near Rockport, Texas EPA

The baby girl was born at 1.59am and later assigned to the intensive care unit with unspecified medical issues. Greg Smith told People that the child is healthy and that he and his wife are relieved to be in the hospital, where she can receive proper care.

"Everything about this pregnancy we said is God's will," he told People. "That's why her name is Adrielle. It means she belongs to God."