INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (AP) — Days of storms and flooding in Indiana left at least six people dead as floodwaters peaked in Indianapolis’ White River and rains were expected to ease in the state capital region and other parts of the state Sunday.
A 4-year-old boy, two men and three women were among those who had died since the storms began Aug. 11, said Liz Woods, a spokesperson for the state Department of Homeland Security.
Flooding from the White River peaked early Sunday morning, with high water levels expected to hold for a few hours before beginning to recede, according to the city Department of Public Works.
City shelters remained open after hundreds of homes along the river and its canals were evacuated. First responders used boats to rescue people stranded by rapidly rising floodwaters.
Heavy rain and flash flooding were still possible across portions of the central part of the state, including Indianapolis, throughout the day, the National Weather Service said.
The agency urged residents to check river and weather forecasts and “stay out of dangerous, fast moving waters” as heavy rain has led to significant flooding along most rivers and creeks across central Indiana. Roads and bridges across the state have also been seriously damaged or washed out entirely by the powerful rushing waters.
About 130,000 utility customers statewide remained without power by midday Sunday, down from a peak of around 300,000, according to Woods and the online utility tracker PowerOutage.us.
Heavy rains have hammered Indiana over the past week, causing rivers to crest and setting new records.
The White River crested at more than 24 feet (7.32 meters) in the communities of Anderson and Noblesville, surpassing records set in 1913.
Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett said the flooding was the worst the capital city has seen in more than 30 years.
Gov. Mike Braun’s office said more than 350 evacuations and scores of rescue and welfare checks have occurred elsewhere in the state, including at a senior mobile home community north of Indianapolis.
President Donald Trump on Saturday approved Braun’s request for federal disaster assistance to help with flooding response and recovery efforts.
The drenching rains and destructive flooding were among the impacts of severe storms that have wreaked havoc across the Midwest and beyond in recent days.
Tornadoes, heavy rains and flash flooding brought serious damage to communities from Illinois to western Pennsylvania.