200 students stranded in US
Trump to visit Texas on Tuesday as ‘once in 500 yrs flood’ ravages US
Houston/New Delhi: At least 200 Indian students stranded at the University of Houston due to “catastrophic” flooding after Hurricane Harvey hit Texas were being evacuated. The students were being provided food and other supplies by the IndianAmerican community in the area. India’s ConsulGeneral in Houston Anupam Ray has been in touch with the students.
As many as 200 Indian students are “surrounded by neck deep water” and are marooned at the University of Houston at Texas in the United States after the campus was flooded due to Hurricane Harvey. Two Indian students have been admitted in the ICU.
External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj tweeted, “@CGHoust (Consul-General of India at Houston) has informed me that 200 Indian students at University of Houston are marooned. They are surrounded by neck deep water. We made efforts for delivery of food but US Coast Guard did not allow as boats were required for rescue operations. Mr. Anupam Ray, our CG Houston, is organising the rescue operations. Indian students Shalini and Nikhil Bhatia are in ICU. We are ensuring that their relatives reach there at the earliest (sic).”
According to agency reports, Harvey, the most powerful hurricane to hit the US in 13 years, left a trail of destruction as it swept through Texas on Sunday, pummelling the region with heavy rains and claiming at least five lives since making landfall on the US Gulf Coast.
Around 13 million people were battling “catastrophic” flooding 13 million people are battling “catastrophic” flooding in Texas.
Officials warn the flooding will force more than 30,000 people from their homes. and torrential rains in the storm-ravaged Texas where Hurricane Harvey has wreaked havoc, turning streets into raging rivers and claiming at least five lives.
Meteorologists have forecast that the historic rainfall will dump up to 50 inches by Wednesday.
“A flood of this magnitude is a once-in-acentury event, and it exceeds the design specification of our levees,” Fort Bend County Judge Robert Hebert said in a statement on Monday.
US President Donald Trump on Monday declared an emergency in Louisiana as part of the southern state was being pelted with rain from tropical storm Harvey. He will travel to Texas on Tuesday to get a first-hand information on the flooding. First Lady Melania is also expected to travel.
During a busy weekend, the White House released photos of the President — decked in a USA cap — huddling with aides, liaising with cabinet secretaries to discuss what he called a “once in 500 year flood.”