At least five people died in floods in Indiana this week as heavy storms drove rivers to record levels and sent emergency crews into neighborhoods along the White River in Indianapolis. On Saturday, crews used boats to reach people in floodwater while rescues and welfare checks continued in several counties.
Mike Braun said Donald Trump intends to approve his request for federal resources. Braun also urged people to stay away from floodwaters, saying, "Por favor, sigan tomando en serio las inundaciones y manténganse alejados de las aguas de inundación."
Indianapolis and the White River
Joe Hogsett said Indianapolis experienced its most severe flooding in more than 30 years. The White River reached more than 7.32 meters, or 24 feet, in Anderson and Noblesville, topping records set in 1913, while some areas received more than 28 centimeters, or 11 inches, of rain over two days.
Rita Reith said the Indianapolis Fire Department had rescued 95 people and 45 pets by late Saturday afternoon. Jacob Spence said, "Esta es una de esas inundaciones que ocurren una vez en la vida" and "Se trata de un evento sin precedentes y, lamentablemente, estamos estableciendo algunos nuevos récords" as crews kept working.
Delaware County evacuations
More than 350 evacuations were reported in Delaware County, and a mobile home community for seniors in Tipton County was being evacuated. Rescues and welfare checks were also taking place in Fayette County, and most of the damage was concentrated along river corridors from Hamilton County to the northern suburbs of Indianapolis.
One child died when a tree fell on a house, one woman was swept away after driving into floodwaters, and one teenager was reported missing after jumping into a river on Wednesday. More than a dozen counties declared local disasters as the flooding spread across Indiana and crews kept looking for people who still needed help.
Indiana flood response
The immediate task is still rescue and recovery, with boat teams, welfare checks and evacuations continuing in the hardest-hit areas. Braun's request for federal resources points to the next phase: outside support for cleanup and rebuilding once the water begins to fall.
