 |
| Evacuation was hampered when roadways were flooded. |
THE WORST STORM in the United States continues to pummel a wide swath of eastern Texas, from Houston down the coast to Corpus Cristi impacting the over 500,000 Asians and Asian.Americans living in the area.
The unprecedented rain and floods claimed the life of at least one Asian American who drowned. Rescue efforts and accounting of all the missing persons are still being conducted.
AAPI people were victims of the massive storm that started out as Hurricane Harvey, a category 4 storm, but they also were among those who evacuated their homes and pitched in when they could to help their neighbors.
Asian Americans are the fastest growing ethnic group in the Houston area, making up over 500,000 of the 2.6 million residents.
The dominant groups are Vietnamese, Indian, Chinese and Filipnos.
Following is a compilation of some of their stories from a variety of news sources:
Indian student drowns
TIMES OF INDIA
A 24-year-old Indian student has died after he nearly drowned in a swollen lake
Nikhil Bhatia, a student at Texas A&M University, was rescued from the Lake Bryan, where he along with another Indian girl Shalini Singh had gone swimming, on Saturday (Aug. 26).
Bhatia succumbed to his injuries on Wednesday (Aug. 29) while Singh continues to be in a critical condition, according to the Consulate officials, who were in regular touch with the family members in hospital and in India.
Bhatia, originally from Jaipur, along with his friend Singh, 25, from New Delhi, was pursuing Master in Public health were both brought to the local hospital in a critical condition.
According to their friends and some witnesses, the two were swimming in the lake. A sudden current of water pushed them deeper and the students noticed that they were in distress and flagged down nearby police officers.
Bryan Police officers were able to rescue and provide CPR to the victims until medics arrived, according to Bryan Mayor Andrew Nelson.
Former NFL player raising funds
USA TODAY
Dat Nguyen, a former Dallas Cowboys linebacker who grew up in Rockport, a tiny coastal Texas town hit hard by the storm on Friday, said most of his hometown is gone. But he wants to help the folks who remain.
“The church is demolished, our house is demolished,” he told The Dallas Morning News. “All the places where I grew up — all the mom and pop stores, the school, everything is torn and damaged.”
Nguyen, who lives in Fort Worth, said he was trying to organize an effort to bring supplies to the city, but that the area had been evacuated because of gas leaks. He said he’s got “a bunch of friends ready to send trucks of food, but we can’t do anything now. It’s overwhelming. All we can do is just pray.”
Nguyen, 41, the first Vietnamese/American to be drafted and play for an NFL team, now owns and runs a Chick-fil-A franchise in Fort Worth. He said he hopes people don’t forget about his hometown. “Right now, we’re on the back burner.”
No Filipinos injured in Hurricane Harvey
MANILA TIMES
According to the Philippine diplomatic sources, none of the 70,000 Filipinos in the Houston area were injured.
In an interview with Unang Balita, Neil Reyes and his family retreated indoors and prepared for an incoming huge flood in the city. He said the hurricane’s winds were not as powerful in their area compared in the northwest area but the constant rain kept their roads flooded like a sea.
The highway near Reyes’ residence is currently under 16 feet of floodwater due to Harvey’s heavy rain. Currently, the level of the floodwater is drained enough for the residents to prepare for the next onslaught of heavy rains.
Filipinos in Houston extended their help through posting helplines for police, evacuations, shelter locations, and dry and cooked food provisions by Desi teams on Facebook. Pinoy Houston TV posted the hotline of Philippine Consul General in Los Angeles Adel Cruz for Filipinos seeking help amidst the calamity.
Filipino health workers stayed on the job
BALITANG AMERICA
A number of nurses and health providers in Houston, Filipinos included, have been stuck in various hospitals and nursing homes for three days or more.
Some have issued code gray for their employees to ensure that there is enough staffing to serve all patients, as Hurricane Harvey continues to slam Texas.
At Texas Medical Center, the halls and rooms are empty. Some roads and freeways leading to the hospital are closed due to high waters. Many residents are also stuck in their own homes.
"It’s been a challenge for them to get to hospitals if they need care," said J.V. Villar.
"For us who are stuck doing our jobs in our hospitals, we are also victims of Hurricane Harvey ourselves. We can only imagine what the state of our own homes are like.
"We fear that our own communities are already flooded.
"For now, we are faced with fulfilling our duties as nurses and health providers and we are doing our best to do our jobs, despite our own concerns," said Villar
Indian/American community shows its heart
TIMES OF INDIA
The 150,000-plus strong Indian community in the Houston metropolitan area has shown its big heart by opening up its establishments to provide food, shelter and other services to the thousands of people affected by the devastating floods.
Indian restaurants are distributing food, Indian businesses are throwing open their premises to provide accommodation, Indian doctors are volunteering medical services and the community at large is offering logistical and other help to coordinate rescue efforts along with the City of Houston's emergency operations center.
Indian students stranded at U. of Houston
FINANCIAL EXPRESS
At least 200 Indian students are stranded at the University of Houston due to “catastrophic” flooding after Hurricane Harvey hit Texas were being evacuated to safer places, authorities have said. The students were being provided food and other supplies by the Indian/American community in the area. India’s Consul-General in Houston Anupam Ray has been in touch with the students and monitoring the evacuation process.
***
Meteorologists expect the hurricane to slam the Texas coast for a second time after lingering in the area since Saturday and two huge reservoirs are overspilling their dams. With more rain on the way, the flooded conditions will get worst in the coming week.
How you can help
Red Cross
The American Red Cross is working around the clock to provide safe shelter and comfort for the hundreds of thousands of people impacted by Hurricane Harvey. Visit redcross.org, call 1-800-RED-CROSS, or text the word HARVEY to 90999 to make a $10 donation.
Southern Baptist Disaster Relief
Southern Baptist Disaster Relief is assisting in the care of thousands of displaced Texans, and working to restore homes. Learn more about how to support their efforts here.
Save the Children
Save the Children is delivering family-friendly relief supplies, setting up child-friendly spaces in shelters, providing specially trained staff to help children, and planning for long-term recovery needs. Support their Hurricane Harvey relief efforts here.
Houston Food Bank
The Houston Food Bank is providing immediate food distribution to families most in need. Donate now or learn more about how to volunteer at houstonfoodbank.org.
_________________________________________________________________________
|
