Indiana the focus as Midwest storms flood homes, knock out power

MORE than 160,000 homes and businesses are still without electricity across Indiana after powerful storms brought record flooding, forcing residents to flee their homes, closing roads and snarling rail traffic.

Another round of heavy rain will sweep not only the Hoosier State, where as much as 11 inches (28 cm) has fallen, but also across the Midwest, eventually ending up in West Virginia, said Brian Hurley, a senior branch forecaster at the US Weather Prediction Center. Flood watches and warnings stretch from Iowa to West Virginia.

The center says there’s a moderate, or 40%, risk of excessive rainfall across parts of Indiana, Ohio and West Virginia on Saturday.

“They’ve been slammed, not only with severe weather but we’ve also had heavy rainfall several times,” Hurley said. “It isn’t just Indiana, but Ohio and West Virginia, too.” 

Indiana Governor Mike Braun declared a statewide emergency earlier this week and has asked for a federal declaration. Freight rail operator CSX Corp. warned customers that tornadoes, wind, and heavy rain would slow some shipments.

The White River, which runs across central and southern Indiana, has reached record heights in some places, overflowing its banks and causing the mayor of Muncie, a city of about 65,000 residents northeast of Indianapolis, to declare an emergency. Residents in the city and surrounding county have been told to flee floodwaters.

In Noblesville, north of Indianapolis, the river has risen more than 20 feet (6 metres) since Tuesday, setting a record crest of 24.6 feet, the weather service said.

Hurley said as much as 4 inches (10cm) of additional rain is possible across parts of central and southern Indiana through the weekend. Isolated spots may get more.