At least six people have died after days of severe storms and widespread flooding in Indiana, where floodwaters on the White River in Indianapolis reached their peak Sunday.
A 4-year-old boy, two men, and three women are among those who have lost their lives since the severe weather began on Aug. 11, according to Liz Woods, a spokesperson for the state Department of Homeland Security.
The city Department of Public Works reported that floodwaters from the White River crested early Sunday morning, with elevated levels anticipated to linger for a few hours prior to beginning to recede.
Emergency shelters remained open as hundreds of homes situated along the river and its canals were evacuated. First responders utilized boats to pull people to safety after they became stranded by rapidly rising water.
open image in galleryThe National Weather Service warned that heavy rain and flash flooding were still possible across central areas of the state, including Indianapolis, throughout the day.
Advising residents to check weather and river forecasts, the weather agency urged the public to “stay out of dangerous, fast moving waters” as heavy rain caused major flooding along most rivers and creeks across central Indiana. Forceful torrents also severely damaged or completely washed out bridges and roads across the state.
Approximately 130,000 electricity customers statewide remained without power by midday Sunday, down from a peak of around 300,000, according to Woods and tracking site PowerOutage.us.
Battering Indiana over the past week, heavy rain forced local rivers to crest and set new records.
open image in galleryIn Anderson and Noblesville, the White River reached over 24 feet (7.32 meters), surpassing records established back in 1913.
Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett said the city is experiencing its worst inundation in more than 30 years.
Gov. Mike Braun’s office confirmed that emergency crews carried out more than 350 evacuations along with numerous welfare and rescue checks elsewhere in the state, including at a senior mobile home community north of Indianapolis.
President Donald Trump on Saturday granted Braun’s request for federal disaster assistance to aid local response and recovery efforts.
The torrential rainfall and destructive floodwaters were among the impacts of severe storm systems that have wreaked havoc across the Midwest and beyond in recent days.
Tornadoes, heavy rain, and flash floods inflicted widespread damage on communities ranging from Illinois to western Pennsylvania.