Daijiworld Media Network - Indiana

Indiana, Aug 16: At least five people have died as severe storms and flooding battered Indiana over the past week, with first responders using boats to rescue stranded residents Saturday from rising waters in neighbourhoods along the White River in Indianapolis.

The state has been hit by heavy rainfall, causing rivers to reach record levels and forcing residents to move to higher ground. More than a dozen counties have declared local disasters, with much of the latest damage concentrated along river corridors stretching from Hamilton County into the northern Indianapolis suburbs.

President Donald Trump has approved an emergency declaration for Indiana, making federal disaster assistance available to the state, the Federal Emergency Management Agency said Saturday.

Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett said the city was experiencing its most severe flooding in more than 30 years, warning that conditions were changing rapidly. Hundreds of homes located between the river and parallel canals were evacuated Saturday as emergency responders used boats to rescue residents who had become stranded.

Rita Reith, a spokesperson for the Indianapolis Fire Department, said 95 people and 45 pets had been rescued by late afternoon. Dispatchers received hundreds of calls for assistance throughout the day.

The governor's office said more than 350 evacuations had taken place in Delaware County, while a senior mobile home community in Tipton County was also being evacuated. Rescues and welfare checks were underway in Fayette County.

Indiana authorities said at least five people had died because of the severe weather during the past week. The victims included a boy killed when a tree fell on his home, a woman who was swept away after driving into floodwaters and a teenager who was reported missing after jumping into a river on Wednesday.

“My heart is with the families and loved ones of the five Hoosiers we have lost and every family whose life has been changed by these storms,” Indiana Governor Mike Braun said in a statement issued Saturday. “Please continue to take flooding seriously and stay away from floodwaters.”

Jacob Spence, director of Marion County Emergency Management, described the flooding as a once-in-a-lifetime event.

“This is an unprecedented event, and unfortunately we're setting some new records,” he told The Associated Press.

The National Weather Service reported that some areas received more than 28 cm of rain over a two-day period. The White River crested at more than 7.32 metres in the communities of Anderson and Noblesville, surpassing records set in 1913.

Although floodwaters were beginning to recede north of Indianapolis, flash-flood warnings and watches remained in effect Saturday across large parts of central Indiana.

Forecasters expected the White River to crest Saturday evening in the Indianapolis area, where National Guard vehicles were also assisting rescue operations.

Earlier this week, severe storms caused widespread damage across other parts of the Midwest, bringing tornadoes, heavy rain and flash flooding. Storm damage was reported from the Chicago area to western Pennsylvania, while some residents in other parts of Indiana remained without power.

In communities upstream, residents shared videos on social media showing submerged homes, vehicles stranded in floodwaters, a power pole being toppled by rushing water and roads washed away.

In Noblesville, ominous clouds hung over the city Saturday morning, but the river had already reached its historic crest the previous night. Homes remained surrounded by water, parking lots were flooded and cornfields were saturated. The community's historic covered bridge, Potter's Bridge, was still standing.

“This is crazy for all of us,” said Matt Doudt, the city's photographer, who was documenting the aftermath early Saturday.

Doudt pointed to a grassy commons area that normally hosts farmers' markets and concerts, saying it was under water. A newly installed memorial and flower garden were also submerged.

He said Noblesville itself had not received much rain in recent days, but the flooding was caused by heavy rainfall in communities upstream. The resulting water had nowhere to go but flow downstream towards Noblesville and Indianapolis, he said.

Despite the extensive damage, Doudt said residents were grateful that no lives had been lost in Noblesville and that everyone had been rescued.

“We have a lot of damage,” he said, “But we didn't lose any lives and everybody got rescued and our city is taking care of people pretty well.”