Additional Coverage:
Officials in Central Indiana have begun focusing on recovery efforts as water levels in the White River start to recede following days of severe storms and flooding that have claimed at least seven lives.
Over the weekend, hundreds of residents were evacuated amid rapidly rising waters, with more than a dozen counties declared local disaster areas. In response, President Donald Trump has approved an emergency declaration for Indiana, enabling federal disaster assistance through the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
The Indianapolis Department of Public Works reported that the White River reached its peak early Sunday, with water levels expected to drop within hours. Floodgates throughout the city began reopening Sunday afternoon, though emergency shelters remained operational to support those displaced by flooding along the river and its canals.
“It’s a good morning,” said Christine Altman, president of the Hamilton County Board of Commissioners, during a Sunday briefing. “It’s not raining, and the water is receding.”
The most significant damage occurred along the river corridor from Hamilton County into the northern suburbs of Indianapolis.
Tragically, several fatalities have been linked to the storms and flooding. In Delaware County, sheriff’s deputies recovered the body of a 58-year-old woman Friday, believed to have attempted to drive through floodwaters.
On Saturday, an 18-year-old who went missing Wednesday in the Mississinewa River was also found deceased. Additional storm-related deaths include a 4-year-old boy in Jennings County, a 58-year-old woman in Lake County, an 86-year-old woman in Porter County, a 32-year-old man in LaPorte County, and a 31-year-old man in Henry County.
As of Sunday afternoon, approximately 126,000 Indiana residents remained without power, according to utility outage tracking services. Emergency responders and local officials continue to monitor conditions as recovery operations advance.