At least six people died, including a minor, in Indiana as a result of the intense episode of storms affecting the U.S. state since last Tuesday, while the rains keep large areas of the province under flood threat and emergency teams continue rescue efforts.
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In a preliminary report, local authorities raised the death toll related to the storm to six this Saturday, with victims found in several counties of the state, including Jennings, Delaware, White, Porter, and La Porte.
Among the dead is a four-year-old child from Jennings County, in southeastern Indiana, who died on Tuesday after a tree fell on his home during the storm.
In Delaware County, meanwhile, the lifeless body of a 58-year-old woman was found and the death of a 19-year-old young man was confirmed. In the first case, investigators suspect the victim died after trying to cross a water-covered area with her vehicle.
The storm caused a particularly complicated situation in the center of the state, where the White River overflowed and forced the deployment of significant emergency resources.
The most affected areas extend along the riverbed, from Hamilton County to the suburbs north of Indianapolis.
In this last city, the state capital, waters have covered streets and reached homes, forcing some residents to leave their homes using kayaks and small boats.
The Indianapolis Fire Department reported that its personnel have carried out 50 water rescues and helped evacuate 91 people and 45 pets.
For his part, the city mayor, Joe Hogsett, described the situation as exceptional and asked residents near the riverbeds to take extreme precautions and leave the areas threatened by the flooding.
“The city of Indianapolis is currently facing a flood unprecedented in more than 30 years”, Hogsett declared. “This is a constantly evolving situation and conditions can change, and indeed do change, very quickly,” the mayor warned in statements collected by NBC News.
The magnitude of the rainfall was also confirmed in the river rise records. In Noblesville, north of Indianapolis, the White River surpassed a record set 113 years ago, reaching 24.6 feet (approximately 7.50 meters), compared to 23.8 feet (about 7.25 meters) recorded in 1913.
“The last 48 hours have been unprecedented in this community”, said the town mayor, Chris Jensen, in a video posted on social media.
Data from the U.S. National Weather Service indicate that some areas have received more than 28 centimeters of rain in just two days.
The Governor of Indiana, Mike Braun, said that certain areas accumulated between six and almost twelve inches (approximately between 15.2 and 30.5 centimeters) of precipitation, feeding the downstream rise.
Braun declared a state of emergency earlier this week and stated this Saturday that he spoke with President Donald Trump about the situation.
According to the governor, a federal emergency declaration is being expedited through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
“My condolences to the families and loved ones of the five Indiana residents we have lost, and to all the families whose lives have been affected by these storms,” Braun said today in a statement.
“Please continue to take flooding seriously and stay away from flooded areas,” he added.
Meanwhile, more than 150,000 users were left without power in the state due to the effects of the storm.
Authorities warned today that the threat has not disappeared, since the ground is completely saturated and new precipitation could quickly trigger more flooding.
“As for the flooding, I repeat, it is an ongoing problem. It will continue for at least the next 24 hours and then we will begin the recovery process,” said Jonathan Whitham, executive director of the Indiana Department of Homeland Security (IDHS).
Forecasts maintain the risk of flash floods in a wide strip of the Midwest and the eastern part of the country from Iowa to West Virginia.
Meteorologists predict new showers and thunderstorms, while the White River could maintain high levels during the next hours in the Indianapolis metropolitan area.
These floods are part of an adverse weather episode that in recent days has also affected other areas of the U.S. Midwest, with tornadoes, torrential rains, and flash floods from the Chicago area to western Pennsylvania.
In the presence of waters, local authorities repeatedly urged the population not to attempt to cross flooded roads or areas, as well as to follow the instructions of emergency services while the storm continues to evolve.
