Five Dead as Indiana Floods Surge Along White River
Severe storms and flooding across Indiana have killed at least five people, with rescue crews using boats to evacuate residents along the White River in Indianapolis.
At least five people have died in Indiana after a week of heavy rain caused rivers to reach record levels, prompting boat rescues in Indianapolis neighborhoods along the White River on Saturday. More than a dozen counties have declared local disasters, with the worst damage concentrated along river corridors from Hamilton County into the northern suburbs.
In Delaware County, sheriff deputies recovered the bodies of a 58-year-old woman, who is believed to have died while attempting to drive through floodwaters, and a teenage boy who went missing after jumping into a river. Earlier in the week, a 4-year-old boy was killed when a tree fell on 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," Governor Mike Braun said in a statement, urging residents to stay away from floodwaters.
Braun said President Donald Trump is expected to approve a request for federal assistance. Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett, joined by emergency managers, warned residents along the White River to evacuate, describing the flooding as the most severe in more than 30 years. Jacob Spence, director of Marion County Emergency Management, called it a "once-in-a-lifetime" event and noted new records were being set.
The National Weather Service reported more than 11 inches of rain fell in some areas over two days, and the White River crested above 24 feet in Anderson and Noblesville, surpassing the 1913 record. Flash-flood warnings remained in effect across central Indiana.
Rescue efforts involved National Guard vehicles, and Indianapolis Fire Department spokesperson Rita Reith said 91 people and 45 pets had been rescued by early afternoon. "The water is still rising, so heed the warnings," said Todd Wilson, director of the city’s public works department.
Authorities estimated about 400 residents evacuated parts of northern Indianapolis on their own, while over 350 evacuations were reported in Delaware County and a senior mobile-home community in Tipton County. Welfare checks continued in Fayette County. Videos posted online showed stranded vehicles, toppled power poles and flooded intersections.
The storms also affected other Midwest regions, producing tornadoes, heavy rain and flash flooding from Chicago to western Pennsylvania.