An Indian tech professional and student from Andhra Pradesh died in the US state of Kansas after severe flash floodwaters swept away his vehicle, authorities said.
Venkatesh Doppalapudi, 33, was an H-1B visa holder and was residing in Omaha, Nebraska. On Saturday afternoon, he was driving back north from Houston when his vehicle encountered flash flooding, which was caused by severe storms, PTI reported.
Indian consulate extends condolences and commences outreach
Expressing condolences over the incident, the Consulate General of India in Houston said that it is in touch with the family and working closely with relevant authorities.
“The Consulate General of India in Houston is deeply saddened by the tragic demise of Mr Venkatesh Doppalapudi, an Indian student from Andhra Pradesh, who lost his life in flash floodwaters in Kansas.”
The consulate further added, “The Consulate is in touch with the family and close contacts and is coordinating with the relevant authorities to provide all possible assistance.”
Emergency response units dispatched following witness reports
Eyewitnesses of the incident reported seeing a vehicle getting swept away in the flash floods and drowned in the waters with someone still trapped inside.
Emergency units were dispatched to 600 block of South Oliver Road near Wellington after receiving the information, according to the Sumner County Sheriff’s Office, PTI reported.
High currents hamper initial rescue and recovery efforts
The report added that rescue teams faced issues entering the water initially due to extreme currents. Later, a multi-agency search operation was launched involving a Kansas Highway Patrol Air Unit and police drones, which led to the recovery of Doppalapudi’s body on Sunday.
Coordination of legal formalities and repatriation procedures
The Houston consulate is coordinating with state law enforcement of Kansas state and representatives from family, in order to complete necessary legal formalities and facilitate the proceedings for repatriation of the mortal remains.
Venkatesh was an H-1B visa holder residing in Omaha, Nebraska. (Photo: gofundme website) 
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