Severe Storms and Flooding Claim Lives in Indiana

Indiana authorities reported that at least five people have died due to severe storms and flooding sweeping across the state this week. Rescue teams utilized boats on Saturday to save individuals from rising waters in Indianapolis neighborhoods along the White River.

Heavy rains over the past week have led to rivers reaching record heights, forcing residents to seek safety on higher ground. More than a dozen counties announced local disasters, with major damage occurring along river corridors from Hamilton County to the northern Indianapolis suburbs.

In Delaware County, sheriff deputies discovered a 58-year-old woman who appears to have died trying to navigate floodwaters by car. They also found the body of a teenager reported missing on Wednesday after jumping into a river. Earlier in the week, a 4-year-old boy perished when a tree struck his home in Jennings County.

“My heart is with the families and loved ones of the five Hoosiers we have lost and every family whose life has been changed by these storms,”
said Gov. Mike Braun.

Braun stated on Saturday that President Donald Trump plans to approve federal resources to aid in the flooding response and recovery efforts.

Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett addressed residents along the White River in a briefing on Saturday, urging evacuation. He noted the city’s most severe flooding in over 30 years, emphasizing rapidly changing conditions. Marion County Emergency Management Director, Jacob Spence, described the situation as a unique and record-setting event.

The National Weather Service documented over 11 inches (28 centimeters) of rainfall in some areas within two days. The White River rose beyond 24 feet (7.32 meters) in Anderson and Noblesville, exceeding previous records established in 1913. On Saturday, flash-flood warnings and watches persisted across central Indiana.

Forecasters anticipated the White River cresting on Saturday evening in Indianapolis, where rescue efforts involved National Guard vehicles. As of early afternoon, spokeswoman Rita Reith from the Indianapolis Fire Department counted rescues of 91 people and 45 pets.

“The water is still rising, so heed the warnings,”
advised Todd Wilson, director of the city’s public works department.

Officials estimated that about 400 residents voluntarily evacuated northern Indianapolis, while the governor’s office recorded over 350 evacuations in Delaware County. Evacuations also occurred in a senior mobile home community in Tipton County. Rescues and welfare checks continued in Fayette County.

Social media videos displayed stranded vehicles, a power pole felled by rushing waters, and flooded intersections. Severe storms earlier this week also impacted parts of the Midwest, leading to tornadoes, heavy rain, and flash floods spreading from the Chicago area to western Pennsylvania.

Montoya Bryan contributed reporting from Albuquerque, New Mexico.