Gary, Indiana Still Without Power as Residents Hold Prayer Vigil
On August 25, nearly 5,000 homes in Gary, Indiana were still without electricity three weeks after the August 11 derecho, prompting a prayer gathering at a local church, WFYI reported. The Grio said more than 80,000 customers in northwest Indiana remained without power a week after the storm. Nine days later, NPR reported that over 68,000 customers were still in the dark, leading to school closures and health concerns.
ABC7 Chicago noted that more than 30,000 customers still lacked electricity and that ComEd sent over 60 workers to assist NIPSCO. Subsequent reports from CBS News, the BBC, NPR, USA Today and NBC News documented a gradual decline in the number of affected customers, with estimates of 30,000, 20,000, 16,000 and 8,600 respectively, while state and federal officials, including FEMA and local lawmakers, offered assistance and criticized the utility’s restoration pace.