At least six people have died in a powerful storm system that slammed into Indiana this week, state officials said Saturday, as severe flooding continued to inundate communities and strain emergency services across the state.
Murky floodwaters swallowed streets and surrounded homes in the Ravenwood neighborhood of Indianapolis on Saturday, submerging cars and rising to front doors as residents navigated the inundated neighborhood in kayaks and rowboats, drone footage captured by NBC News showed.
Drone video shows flooding in Indianapolis
Gov. Mike Braun said he had spoken with President Donald Trump and that an expedited FEMA emergency declaration was in process.
“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,” Braun said in a statement Saturday. “Please continue to take flooding seriously and stay away from floodwaters.”
Indianapolis did not receive the heaviest rainfall from the storm, but floodwaters have moved downstream into the city from areas that saw between 6 and nearly 12 inches of rain, Braun said.
More than 90 people and their pets were rescued as floodwaters rose along the White River in Indianapolis, and authorities in central Indiana responded to what many described as historic flooding.
The damage so far was concentrated along the river corridor from Hamilton County into the northern Indianapolis suburbs. Farther east, in Delaware County, sheriff’s deputies on Friday found the body of a 58-year-old woman who they believe died after trying to drive through floodwaters.
Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett was joined by emergency managers during a briefing Saturday as he urged residents along the river to evacuate. A day earlier, he had declared a local emergency as heavy rains resulted in creeks and streams swelling throughout central Indiana.
“This is one of those once-in-a-lifetime type floods,” Jacob Spence, director of Marion County Emergency Management, told The Associated Press. “So yeah, this is an unprecedented event and unfortunately we’re setting some new records.”
A second storm-related fatality was reported in Delaware County on Saturday, according to Indiana Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Liz Woods.
She also confirmed storm-related deaths in Jennings, White, Porter and La Porte counties.
The National Weather Service reported that more than 11 inches of rain fell over a two-day period in some areas. The White River crested at more than 24 feet in the communities of Anderson and Noblesville, surpassing records set in 1913.
Flash flood warnings and watches were issued across a swath of central Indiana on Saturday, and forecasters with the National Weather Service warned that more showers and thunderstorms would be moving into the area throughout the day. In Warren County, forecasters reported 2 inches of rain falling in the past six hours.
Forecasters expected the White River to crest Saturday evening in the Indianapolis area, where National Guard vehicles were among those helping with the rescue efforts. Rita Reith, a spokesperson with the Indianapolis Fire Department, put the number of rescues at 91 people and 45 pets as of early afternoon.
“The water is still rising, so heed the warnings,” said Todd Wilson, director of the city’s public works department.
Residents posted videos on social media that showed vehicles stranded in high water, a power pole being toppled by rushing water and flooded intersections.
Earlier this week, severe storms wreaked havoc across other parts of the Midwest, causing tornadoes, heavy rains and flash flooding. Storm damage was reported from the Chicago area all the way to western Pennsylvania.
