President Trump Approves Emergency Declaration As Severe Flooding Devastates Red State

At least five deaths in Indiana have been linked to storms that triggered what many described as historic flooding, according to Gov. Mike Braun. The damage so far has been concentrated along the river corridor from Hamilton County and the northern Indianapolis suburbs. Farther… pic.twitter.com/b2eFhqudqi

— CBS News (@CBSNews) August 15, 2026

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Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett said the city was experiencing its most severe flooding in more than 30 years, noting that conditions were shifting rapidly. Hundreds of homes in neighborhoods that were located between the river and parallel canals were evacuated Saturday, as first responders used boats to rescue people who were already stranded.

Rita Reith, a spokesperson with the Indianapolis Fire Department, put the number of rescues at 95 people and 45 pets as of late afternoon. Dispatchers had received hundreds of calls for service throughout the day.

The governor’s office reported more than 350 evacuations have occurred in Delaware County and that a senior mobile home community in Tipton County was being evacuated. Rescues and welfare checks also were happening in Fayette County.

Indiana authorities said Saturday at least five people have died as a result of the severe weather over the past week. That includes a boy killed when a tree fell on his home, a woman who was swept away after driving into floodwaters and a teen who was reported missing after jumping in to 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,” Braun said in a statement issued Saturday. “Please continue to take flooding seriously and stay away from floodwaters.”

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Severe flooding washed away part of a road in Indianapolis as monster storms slam Indiana, leaving at least six people dead and triggering widespread destruction, water rescues and mass power outages across the state. pic.twitter.com/Qc64T24Ofi

— Fox News (@FoxNews) August 16, 2026

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A new round of storms brought severe flooding to Indianapolis on Saturday, leaving neighborhoods submerged in water.

Several dozen people and their pets were rescued Saturday as floodwaters rose along the White River in Indianapolis, and emergency managers said that number was… pic.twitter.com/zjlxNpRefe

— CBS News (@CBSNews) August 16, 2026

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INDIANAPOLIS UNDER WATER: The White River is cresting out of its banks, causing significant damage across central Indiana. River Road became its name, as water carved a chunk out of the landscape. @NWSIndianapolis said the Fire Department did 38 water rescues in 24 hours. pic.twitter.com/ifYG3e9zt4

— WeatherNation (@WeatherNation) August 15, 2026

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The Delaware County Sheriff’s Office confirmed Saturday that authorities found the body of 18-year-old Matthew Morey, an incoming Purdue University freshman who had gone missing after he entered the Mississinewa River with three others on Wednesday.

“There are no words that can ease the pain of losing a child. Our hearts are with Matthew’s family, friends, classmates, and everyone who knew and loved him,” the sheriff’s office told CBS News in a statement.

According to the Indiana Department of Homeland Security, the other storm-related deaths included 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.

Officials in Jennings County, in the southern end of the state, said the 4-year-old boy was killed Tuesday when a tree crashed through his bedroom during strong winds.

Nearly 130,000 utility customers statewide remained without power as of Sunday afternoon, down from a peak of around 300,000, according to the online utility tracker PowerOutage.us.

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