How many people died in Indiana's historic flooding?
At least seven people are dead after record White River crests, mass evacuations, and widespread outages as floodwaters begin to recede.
Indiana's storm week left a hard public scoreboard: at least seven people dead, record river crests, hundreds of homes emptied, and power still out for tens of thousands as floodwaters finally began to ease.
State officials put the death toll at seven after storms that began August 11. The dead include a 4-year-old boy in Jennings County killed when a tree crashed through his bedroom; 19-year-old Matthew Morey of Delaware County, recovered from the Mississinewa River days after he entered the swollen water with friends; and 58-year-old Stephanie Sallee, found with her dog in a cornfield after authorities said her vehicle was swept from a flooded road. Other storm-linked deaths were reported in Lake, Porter, LaPorte, and Henry counties. Those are neighbors, parents, a college-bound graduate, and a child who should have been safe in bed.
The water set records. The National Weather Service said some areas took more than 11 inches of rain in two days. The White River crested just shy of 25 feet at Anderson and Noblesville, above marks set in 1913. Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett called it the city's worst flooding in more than 30 years. City crews said the river peaked early Sunday as floodgates reopened and levels began to fall. Indianapolis Fire Department crews reported about 50 water rescues that moved 91 people and 45 pets to safety. In Hamilton County, officials said Sunday the rain had stopped and water was receding after a crest near 24.6 feet. Carmel reported about 215 properties hit and 40 residents evacuated. Noblesville said about 170 people left and roughly 552 residential units were affected.
The household bill is still being counted. Nearly 130,000 utility customers remained without power by Sunday afternoon, down from a peak near 300,000, according to state officials and PowerOutage.us. Roads and bridges washed out. Emergency shelters stayed open. Yorktown Public Library took about a foot of water. The American Red Cross Indiana Region said more than 4,700 meals and snacks had been served. The Indianapolis Colts and Indiana Pacers each pledged $125,000 to Red Cross flood relief, with the Indiana Fever and Noblesville Boom joining the effort.
Governor Mike Braun declared a state emergency and warned people to stay out of floodwater. President Donald Trump approved an emergency declaration Saturday to free federal help after Braun's request. Cleanup, bridge repairs, ruined basements, spoiled food, lost workdays, and insurance fights will outlast the crest charts. The National Weather Service still warned of more heavy rain and flash-flood risk in parts of central Indiana on Sunday.
The useful checklist is plain: stay off flooded roads, keep children and pets away from creeks, check on elderly neighbors, and treat receding water as still dangerous. Record crests do not end when the sun returns. They end when families are dry, powered, and back in stable homes.