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A 33-year-old man from Andhra Pradesh who went missing after his vehicle was swept away by floodwaters in the US state of Kansas has been found dead, according to local authorities.
The deceased has been identified as Doppalapudi Venkatesh, a native of Devarapalli village in Parchur mandal of Andhra Pradesh's Bapatla district. He had been living in Omaha, Nebraska.
According to the Sumner County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded on June 27, Saturday, to reports of a submerged vehicle near South Oliver Road in Wellington, Kansas. An eyewitness reportedly told authorities that they saw the vehicle being swept into floodwaters with a person trapped inside. Rescue teams recovered the vehicle, but were unable to locate the driver immediately due to the strong current. The search resumed the following day, and Venkatesh's body was later found about 1.3 miles downstream.
Before his death was confirmed, Venkatesh’s family had sought help from local political leaders in Andhra Pradesh to trace him. Subsequently, Parchur MLA Eluri Sambasiva Rao reportedly wrote to Union Ministers Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu and Pemmasani Chandrasekhar, as well as Andhra Pradesh Minister Nara Lokesh, requesting their intervention to coordinate with the Indian diplomatic mission and US authorities to intensify search efforts.
As per reports, Venkatesh had travelled to the United States on an H-1B visa and was working as a software professional while residing in Omaha. These details have not been independently confirmed by US authorities.
The incident comes amid flooding in parts of Kansas following heavy rainfall over the weekend.