Central Indiana's flood emergency moved over the weekend from a record river crest to a federal disaster response, as the statewide death toll reached five and President Trump approved emergency aid. Gov. Mike Braun attributed the deaths, saying his 'heart is with the families and loved ones of the five Hoosiers we have lost' [1]. When Braun declared a statewide disaster emergency on Thursday, August 13, ABC News reported the toll at three storm-related deaths [3].
The record itself broke on Friday. The White River crested just under 25 feet in Anderson and Noblesville, 'more than a foot above the record set in 1913,' after 'more than 11 inches of rain fell over a two-day period in some areas,' the National Weather Service reported [1]. That crest, the first to top the 113-year-old mark, was the story as the water peaked; the developments since are the human toll and the layers of government response.
The federal government stepped in over the weekend. President Trump, 'who on Saturday approved the governor's request for a presidential emergency declaration,' freed 'up to $5 million in federal resources' for response and recovery [1].
The rescues concentrated in Indianapolis. The Indianapolis Fire Department reported pulling '91 people and 45 pets' from floodwaters by early afternoon Saturday [1]. Authorities estimated 'about 400 people evacuated parts of northern Indianapolis on their own' [1], and Mayor Joe Hogsett 'declared a local disaster emergency Friday for Indianapolis and Marion County,' a step that 'puts all of Marion County under a travel advisory until further notice' [2]. Outside the capital, the governor's office reported 'more than 350 evacuations have occurred in Delaware County' [1].
