The unrelenting storms that swept through Indiana this week left a trail of devastation in their wake. At least five people are dead after floods ravaged the state, with authorities warning residents in areas at risk of flooding to heed evacuation warnings.
In Indianapolis, first responders used boats to rescue people from rising waters along the White River, as the mayor and other officials implored residents to take precautions. Jerry Martin, deputy chief of the Indianapolis fire department, sounded a dire note during a news conference: "Six inches of water can stall out any vehicle. Eight inches of water can move a vehicle off a road. And then three inches of water can actually take somebody off their feet too. Flooded water is very, very dangerous."
Todd Wilson, director of the city's public works department, echoed Martin's warning, telling reporters that the water would continue to rise throughout the day.
Farther east in Delaware county, sheriff's deputies found the body of a 58-year-old woman who had reportedly tried to drive through floodwaters. They also recovered the body of a teenager who was first reported missing on Wednesday after jumping into a river. Earlier this week, a four-year-old boy died when a tree fell on his home in Jennings county.
Flash flood warnings were issued for north-eastern Hendricks county and northern Marion county in central Indiana, as authorities described the deluge's effects as unlike anything seen in roughly 30 years.
The National Weather Service reported that more than 11in (28cm) of rain fell over a two-day period in some areas. The White River crested at more than 24ft (7.32 meters) in the communities of Anderson and Noblesville, surpassing records set in 1913.
As the unprecedented flooding stretched the capacity of first responders, officials also reported flooding in areas not historically affected. More than 400 people evacuated parts of northern Indianapolis on their own, while authorities estimated that over 350 evacuations had occurred in Delaware county. A senior mobile home community in Tipton county was being evacuated, and rescues and welfare checks were happening in Fayette county.
As of Saturday afternoon, Rita Reith, a spokesperson with the Indianapolis fire department, reported that 95 people and 45 pets had been rescued. Dispatchers had received hundreds of calls for service throughout the day. Meanwhile, more than 150,000 people were experiencing power outages, according to the northern Indiana public service company.
Indiana Governor Mike Braun confirmed on Saturday that Donald Trump intended to approve his request for federal resources to help in response to the flooding and recovery efforts. Research has shown that Trump has approved a higher percentage of aid requests for Republican-led states than for Democratic-led states in his second term, according to data from the nonpartisan Urban Institute.
As the state continues to grapple with the aftermath of this week's storms, residents are left to wonder what the future holds. Will they be able to rebuild and recover from these devastating floods? Only time will tell.
Written by: Boris Gulp | The Citizen Edition
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