200 Indian students stranded at University of Houston, says Sushma Swaraj

As many as 200 Indian students are stranded at the University of Houston post Hurricane Harvey made a landfall in Texas, said India's External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj.

Swaraj tweeted that 200 Indian students at University of Houston are marooned. They are surrounded by neck deep water. Two of the students are in ICU. We are ensuring that their relatives reach there at the earliest.

Swaraj added that they endeavoured to deliver food but US Coast Guard did not allow as boats were required for rescue operations.

She tweeted, "We made efforts for delivery of food but US Coast Guard did not allow as boats were required for rescue operations."

The minister assured that the rescue operations are underway.

At least five people were reported to be dead on Sunday as the Hurricane Harvey hit Houston and the surrounding region, causing catastrophic flooding and injuring dozens.

More rain is expected to cover Houston in the coming days as Harvey moves inland.

More than 1,000 people had been rescued overnight due to record flooding in the sprawling Houston area, CNN quoted meteorologist Jeff Lindner with Harris County's Flood Control District as saying.

According to local media reports, the storm hit southeastern Texas as a Category 4 hurricane, but wind speeds have since slowed down and it is now a tropical storm.

The storm is Trump's first major natural disaster in office and will be the first major hurricane to hit the U.S. since 2005.

The President is closely monitoring the storm as it approached the U.S.

-ANI