Severe storms and torrential flooding in Indiana have left at least seven people dead and prompted dozens of rescues. President Trump approved an emergency declaration as flooding continued to make its way toward Indianapolis. Flooding from the White River peaked early Sunday morning, forcing more than a dozen counties to declare local disasters. Much of the latest damage concentrated along river corridors from Hamilton County heading into the northern Indianapolis suburbs.
Farther east in Delaware County, sheriff’s deputies on Friday found the body of a 58-year-old woman who they believe died after trying to drive through floodwaters. Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett said the city was experiencing its most severe flooding in more than 30 years, noting that conditions were shifting rapidly. Hundreds of homes in neighborhoods located between the river and parallel canals were evacuated Saturday as first responders used boats to rescue people stranded by rising waters.
Rita Reith, a spokesperson with the Indianapolis Fire Department, reported 95 people and 45 pets rescued by late afternoon. Dispatchers received hundreds of service calls throughout the day. The governor’s office confirmed more than 350 evacuations in Delaware County and an ongoing evacuation of a senior mobile home community in Tipton County, with rescues and welfare checks also underway in Fayette County.
Indiana authorities stated Saturday that at least five people died from severe weather over the past week, including a boy killed by a tree falling on his home, a woman swept away after driving into floodwaters, and a teen reported missing after jumping into a river on Wednesday. “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,” Braun said in a statement issued Saturday. “Please continue to take flooding seriously and stay away from floodwaters.”
The Delaware County Sheriff’s Office confirmed authorities discovered the body of 18-year-old Matthew Morey, an incoming Purdue University freshman who went missing after entering the Mississinewa River with three others on Wednesday. “There are no words that can ease the pain of losing a child. Our hearts are with Matthew’s family, friends, classmates, and everyone who knew and loved him,” the sheriff’s office stated.
According to the Indiana Department of Homeland Security, additional storm-related fatalities included a 4-year-old boy in Jennings County, an 58-year-old woman in Lake County, an 86-year-old woman in Porter County, a 32-year-old man in LaPorte County, and a 31-year-old man in Henry County. Officials in Jennings County noted the 4-year-old boy died Tuesday when a tree crashed through his bedroom during strong winds.
Nearly 130,000 utility customers statewide remained without power as of Sunday afternoon, down from a peak of around 300,000.
