As the state of Texas has been ravaged by tropical storm Harvey, Indian student Nikhil Bhatia, who was admitted to the ICU after being rescued from a lake earlier, has died. He was 24.
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Nikhil Bhatia of the Texas A&M University was rescued from Lake Bryan where he and his friend Shalini Singh had gone swimming on Saturday, reported the Press Trust of India. The duo had been found in the lake and was admitted to the ICU. While Bhatia has succumbed, Singh continues to fight for life.
The two flagged down police officers nearby when they noticed a sudden current of water, which pushed them deeper. Bryan Police officer then rescued them and took them to a nearby hospital after providing CPR.
Bhatia from Jaipur and Singh from New Delhi were students of A&M University and were pursuing a masters degree in public health.
The city of Houston has received catastrophic rainfall caused by Hurricane Harvey and the forecasters have said that the amount could double by the end of the week. Residents have been hunkering down in preparation for "unprecedented" rainfall. About 200 Indian students were earlier said to be marooned at the campus of the University of Houston.
About 200 Indian students were earlier said to be marooned at the campus of the University of Houston but are said to be safe now as the water level has reportedly receded in the area.
Even though the US Coast Guard did not permit the Indian embassy to provide them food as boats were required to reach them, they have been given fresh food supplies, by the Muslim Association of Greater Houston and the Swaminarayan Temple.
"For now they are staying where they were as the water level had receded there and power supply had resumed," Hindustan Times quoted Indian consul general Anupam Ray as saying. Ray is said to have spent time with the students and assured them that they were safe.
Harvey made landfall as a category-four storm on Friday and is said to be the most powerful hurricane to hit Texas in over 50 years. Schools have been shut down and Houston's airports -- George Bush Intercontinental, and William P. Hobby Airport – have been closed as the runways are flooded.
Schools have been shut down and Houston's airports -- George Bush Intercontinental, and William P. Hobby Airport – have been closed as the runways are flooded.
