Indiana Governor Declares Statewide Disaster Emergency Amid Rising Floodwaters
Governor Mike Braun announced a statewide disaster emergency as floodwaters in Indiana reached roof level and officials ordered evacuations along the Whitewater River.
Indiana Governor Mike Braun declared a statewide disaster emergency on Thursday as floodwaters continued to surge, submerging homes and turning streets into rivers in several communities. Emergency management officials in Dearborn County, Indiana, and Hamilton County, Ohio, ordered evacuations along the Whitewater River after water levels rose rapidly.
"Hoosiers' safety is my top priority. Our state response is fully mobilized, resources are moving where they're needed, and we will continue working around the clock to support every impacted community," Braun said in a social media post.
The governor is scheduled to meet first responders in Cambridge City, where residents reported roofs being covered by water and fences floating past windows. Local resident Karlie Frey, who was rescued by boat, said she had never seen flooding of this magnitude.
Rescue operations continued Thursday, including the retrieval of a person from the Mississinewa River in Delaware County. Henry County Sheriff John Sproles reported that more than 50 people were rescued from a flooded apartment complex the previous day.
Authorities also warned that severe storms could bring additional rain, damaging winds, large hail and isolated tornadoes across Iowa, Illinois and surrounding states. Flood watches remain in effect for parts of Iowa, Kentucky and North Carolina, while heat alerts cover more than 100 million people across 15 states.
Local officials described the damage as unprecedented. Cambridge City Town Council President Jim McLane called the flooding "pretty devastating" and said water levels rose several feet higher than any previous event in his six-decade residence. Henry County officials are investigating a possible tornado that damaged a commercial building in New Castle.
The National Weather Service's Storm Prediction Center forecast isolated severe storms with rainfall rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour, raising concerns that further precipitation could exacerbate the already critical situation.