Thousands in Gary, Indiana Remain Without Power Twelve Days After Storm
Nearly 30,000 residents of Gary, Indiana, are still without electricity more than a week after severe storms, prompting aid efforts and a class-action lawsuit against the local utility.
More than two weeks after a line of intense storms hit the Midwest on August 11, about 30,000 customers in Gary, Indiana, remain without electricity, according to Northern Indiana Public Service Company (NIPSCO). The storm produced wind gusts up to 99 mph and caused flooding and tornadoes, killing seven people in the region.
NIPSCO has restored power to over 345,000 customers since the event, but the outage persists for many households in Gary, a city of roughly 70,000 where one-third of residents live in poverty. Residents have reported difficulties obtaining food, keeping medication refrigerated, and maintaining hygiene. Some neighborhoods are without street lighting at night, and a wheelchair user has been unable to use building lifts.
Community groups have responded: World Central Kitchen delivered meals to affected families, and local faith leaders held a press conference urging authorities to accelerate assistance. A class-action lawsuit has been filed against NIPSCO, alleging the utility failed to manage vegetation that caused power lines to fall. The company denied wrongdoing and said it would "vigorously" defend itself.
Utility officials said they recognize the hardship and aim to restore power to the remaining customers by Wednesday, emphasizing ongoing repair work and resource deployment.