7 Dead as Record Flooding Devastates Indiana
At least seven people have died across multiple counties in Indiana as historic flooding continues to wreak havoc on communities throughout the state. The flooding, triggered by days of relentless storms that began August 11, has broken century-old river records, forced thousands of evacuations, and prompted President Donald Trump to approve a Presidential Emergency Declaration for the state.
Some areas of Indiana received more than 11 inches of rainfall over three days, according to a preliminary report from the National Weather Service, as reported by NPR. The deluge has caused the White River to crest at levels not seen since 1913, with Anderson recording a record 24.9 feet and Noblesville surpassing its previous mark of 23.8 feet.
State of Emergency and Federal Response
Governor Mike Braun declared a statewide disaster emergency on Thursday, August 13, and deployed the Indiana National Guard to assist with response efforts. “I will do everything in my power to protect Hoosier lives and livelihoods as we respond to this historic severe weather,” Braun said. “I have mobilized state and local resources, declared a Statewide Disaster Emergency and deployed the Indiana National Guard.”
On Saturday, President Trump approved a Presidential Emergency Declaration for Indiana, unlocking up to $5 million in federal assistance. The declaration covers 53 counties and provides emergency protective measures at 75% federal funding, according to FEMA.
“I spoke with President Trump today about the devastation we’re seeing across Indiana, and I’m grateful to the President for quickly addressing my request and providing additional resources to help Hoosiers,” Braun said in a statement, as reported by WFYI. “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. Please continue to take flooding seriously and stay away from floodwaters.”
Victims and Rescue Efforts
The victims range in age from 4 to 86 years old, according to state homeland security officials. Among those killed were a 4-year-old boy in Jennings County who died when a tree crashed through his bedroom during strong winds on August 11, as WISH-TV reported.
Matthew Morey, a 19-year-old recent high school graduate headed to Purdue University, was swept away after jumping into the Mississinewa River with friends on August 12. His body was recovered three days later. Stephanie Sallee, 58, was found dead in a cornfield in Delaware County after her car was apparently swept away on a flooded road. James Briar, 31, a cyclist, was found dead early Sunday in a sinkhole on a washed-out road in Henry County, having apparently gone around a barricade and fallen into the collapsed road, according to The Guardian.
Indianapolis Fire Department conducted 56 water rescues over an eight-hour period Saturday evening, rescuing 100 people and 48 pets, according to CNN via Yahoo News. About 400 people were evacuated from the Ravenswood neighborhood in Indianapolis alone, while more than 350 evacuations occurred in Delaware County.
Record-Breaking River Levels
The White River crested at approximately 24.60 feet around 3:30 a.m. on August 15 in Anderson, breaking a record that had stood for more than 100 years, according to IndyStar. The river also crested at more than 24 feet in Noblesville, surpassing the 1913 record of 23.8 feet. In Indianapolis, the river peaked at 21.18 feet on 82nd Street, just below the previous high of 22.4 feet recorded in 1913.
Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett said the city was experiencing its most severe flooding in 30+ years. “Let me be absolutely clear, the residents in Ravenswood, Rocky Ripple, and other areas impacted by flooding — please leave your homes now. This is not a time to wait,” Hogsett urged residents.
More than 128,000 people across the state remained without power as of Sunday afternoon, according to NIPSCO, the local power company. Power outages had peaked at about 300,000 in Northwest Indiana.
Community Response and Climate Concerns
Despite the devastation, communities have come together. Hundreds of volunteers gathered at a volleyball court in Rocky Ripple with shovels and sandbags to reinforce the town’s levee. “This is pretty overwhelming, because the generosity is just stunning,” said Margaret Brabant, a Rocky Ripple resident since 1992.
The flooding has also raised concerns about climate change’s role in increasingly extreme weather events. Indianapolis has seen an increase of nearly 5 inches of annual precipitation, according to Climate Central, and the NWS office in Indy issued 14 considerable flash flood warnings and 3 catastrophic warnings in a single 24-hour period in mid-August — breaking all previous records, as IndyStar reported.
Governor Braun acknowledged the changing reality: “It’s like living in Florida. You know, there they’re dealing with hurricanes quite frequently. Insurance is handled differently there, and you’ve got to be prepared for it.”
What’s Next
Recovery efforts are underway across the state, with flood waters beginning to recede in some areas. However, flooding is expected to continue along the Wabash River and the East Fork White River, and more thunderstorms were forecast to move across central Indiana, potentially causing additional flooding. More than 5 million people across the Midwest and mid-Atlantic remained under flood watches as of Sunday.
As communities begin the long process of recovery, the full extent of the damage — and the true human cost of this historic flood event — is only beginning to emerge.