INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA / RankWire.AI / – Severe storms and widespread flooding have killed at least seven people across Indiana. Heavy rain pushed rivers beyond their banks and flooded roads, homes and businesses. The severe weather began August 11 and continued through several rounds of rain. Central and southern Indiana recorded some of the heaviest flooding. Emergency crews spent days carrying out rescues, evacuations and damage checks across affected communities.
State officials said the victims included a 4-year-old boy, three men and three women. The deaths occurred in Delaware, Jennings, Lake, Porter, LaPorte and Henry counties. Delaware County reported two deaths, while the other counties each recorded one. A 31-year-old cyclist was among the most recently confirmed victims. Crews found him in Henry County after floodwater damaged a section of road.
The National Weather Service reported that some areas received more than 10 inches of rain during the weather event. River levels rose sharply as repeated storms moved across the state. The White River reached historic levels in Anderson and Noblesville. Those crests exceeded records dating to 1913. Indianapolis also experienced its most serious flooding in more than three decades as water spread into low-lying neighborhoods.
Floodwaters force rescues and evacuations
First responders used boats to reach residents trapped by rising water in several communities. Local authorities ordered or assisted evacuations where streets and neighborhoods became unsafe. Noblesville officials reported about 170 evacuations during a 72-hour period. More than 550 residential units there experienced flood impacts. Indianapolis opened emergency shelters and sent rescue crews into areas near the White River as conditions worsened.
The storms also caused widespread electricity outages across Indiana. Nearly 130,000 utility customers still lacked power late Sunday, after outages peaked near 300,000. Floodwater closed roads, damaged bridges and washed out pavement in several counties. Indianapolis reopened floodgates after the White River peaked and began to fall. Local crews continued inspecting public infrastructure while residents returned to properties affected by water and storm debris.
Federal emergency aid supports response efforts
Governor Mike Braun declared a statewide disaster emergency as the storms strained local response operations. President Donald Trump later approved an emergency declaration for Indiana after the state requested federal support. The Federal Emergency Management Agency can assist state, tribal and local authorities under that declaration. The federal support covers emergency work needed to protect lives, public health, safety and property. State and local agencies continued coordinating recovery work as flood levels gradually declined.
By late Sunday, some river gauges showed improvement from their highest readings, but flooding remained a concern. Parts of the White River dropped from major to moderate flood stage. Water still stood above flood levels at several monitoring locations near Indianapolis. Crews continued damage assessments across communities hit by flooding, road failures and power outages. Residents also faced cleanup work at homes, businesses and public areas as Indiana began recovering from the severe weather.