It was a death trap for all the 200 Indian students marooned in Houston floods. Neck deep in water, they had almost lost all hopes of being rescued since there were insufficient boats and the emergency response team was focussing more on evacuating the old and the disabled. The incident came to light when External Affairs minister Sushma Swaraj Tweeted on Monday, "More than 200 Indian students are trapped in the US city of Houston; two of them in the ICU, after the Hurricane Harvey that stormed the region caused devastating floods."
She disclosed that she had instructed the Consul General of India in Houston- Anupam Ray- to take charge of the rescue operations. She also said that the US Coast Guard did not allow India to send them food and other relief material since that required boats and there were insufficient boats to ferry the goods. However, latest updates ascertain that the students have been rescued under the leadership of the Consul General of India and two of the students-Shalini and Nikhil Bhatia- who are critical have been admitted to the hospital.She also assured that the relatives of the admitted students will reach the health facility at the earliest.
Meanwhile, having been rescued, the students could not stop thanking the Consul for his administrative prowess and handling emergency situation.
@SushmaSwaraj Iam with the200 Indian students. They are safe. Organizing food #HurricaneHarvey pic.twitter.com/IPJe92XAsS
— Anupam Ray (@anupamifs) August 28, 2017@cgihou @anupamifs is at his best, meeting UH students in such a storm. Many thanks to Munir for food and @UHpres for help @SushmaSwaraj pic.twitter.com/CwWTIRO5mY
— Jiten (JK) Agarwal (@Jitenkaa) August 28, 2017@SushmaSwaraj we are in touch with families & friends of victims who are flying into Houston/Dallas. We will help https://t.co/xxyUG6ThUs
— Anupam Ray (@anupamifs) August 27, 2017Calling all Indians in Houston for help. @Jitenkaa already on it but more needed pic.twitter.com/bO58yMIXCu
— Anupam Ray (@anupamifs) August 28, 2017Thanks @UHpres. Passed on your message. Students organizing themselves. Some may be evacuated tonight. will try to get rest out tomorrow. https://t.co/0ZhCLX0oY6
— Anupam Ray (@anupamifs) August 28, 2017Thanks @UHpres and University of Houston Police who are working tirelessly to rescue students. They are safe & have food. @SushmaSwaraj https://t.co/lRtLYN9BhJ
— Anupam Ray (@anupamifs) August 28, 2017@SushmaSwaraj Iam with the200 Indian students. They are safe. Organizing food #HurricaneHarvey pic.twitter.com/IPJe92XAsS
— Anupam Ray (@anupamifs) August 28, 2017We are very grateful to Smt. Sushma Swaraj, Consulate General of India and BAPS for coming forward to help us in the hour of need. pic.twitter.com/QvFAVQoEKQ
— Kartik Sharma (@Kartiknov) August 28, 2017Thanks to @anupamifs the family made it to Dallas. Thank you for sending Houston @anupamifs as Consul General
— Jagdip Ahluwalia (@JagdipAhluwalia) August 28, 2017@cgihou @anupamifs coordinating hot food to Indian students in houston. Thanks @BAPS pic.twitter.com/mrlOrf88EI
— Surendra Adhana IFS (@AdhanaIfs) August 28, 2017@cgihou @anupamifs reaching out to Indian students, provided food and rescued a baby out pic.twitter.com/6qVsCUgwt1
— Surendra Adhana IFS (@AdhanaIfs) August 28, 2017U r Super Hero for us @anupamifs sir. If meet to @akshaykumar paji, then defiantly will tell them ur #GroundLift in #US..Tnx 2 @SushmaSwaraj
— Deepak Chaudhari (@prodeepakCh) August 28, 2017Hats off to you, that's called spirit, Jai Hind
— Prasun B (@PrasunB2) August 28, 2017Officer CR Sen received Nikhil's mother at the airport and drove her to the hospital. She is now with her son. https://t.co/sVU2SWXPjZ
— India in Houston (@cgihou) August 28, 2017Particularly value this coming from @TelangAmit a very exceptional colleague https://t.co/xLS19Z0oQz
— Anupam Ray (@anupamifs) August 29, 2017Hurricane Harvey is considered to be the most powerful hurricane to hit the US in the last 13 years. Leaving behind a trail of destruction in Texas, it led to a landfall on Saturday, causing a lot of rain and claiming the lives of at least 5 students. Some of the other Indian organisations helping the students included India Cultural Centre, the India House, the Indo-American Charity Foundation and the Indo-American Political Action Committee who co-ordinated their rescue efforts through the Sewa International. Stating that the Houston residents are super positive and are "staying strong through the crisis", Gitesh Desai, Sewa International's president said that Indian businesses and places of worship have also joined hands to provide shelter to the displaced families. In fact, Indian restaurants are also supplying food packets to the victims affected by flood.
In a series of Tweets, Sushma Swaraj detailed the flood situation in Houston and the course that the Indian Consul is taking there to rescue the Indians stranded there:
@CGHoust has informed me that 200 Indian students at University of Houston are marooned. They are surrounded by neck deep water. /1
— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) August 28, 2017We made efforts for delivery of food but US Coast Guard did not allow as boats were required for rescue operations. /2
— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) August 28, 2017Mr. Anupam Ray our CG Houston is organising the rescue operations. /3
— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) August 28, 2017Indian students Shalini and Nikhil Bhatia are in ICU. We are ensuring that their relatives reach there at the earliest. /4
— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) August 28, 2017Thank you @IndiainNewYork . Our officials are ready to receive her at the airport.@SushmaSwaraj
— India in Houston (@cgihou) August 28, 2017