Powerful storms rolled over the flood-ravaged Midwest for a sixth day early Friday, bringing more rain to areas where severe flooding has already forced hundreds of people from their homes and left more than 300,000 without power.
Indiana and Ohio Affected
After parts of Indiana saw 1-in-1,000 year rainfall, officials conducted water rescues and ordered evacuations as catastrophic floodwaters made rivers swell, rushed into homes and left roads impassable. Gov. Mike Braun on Thursday declared a statewide disaster emergency and mobilized the Indiana National Guard.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine on Thursday night warned residents in western Ohio to stay alert for “a dangerous situation” that could develop overnight after lingering storms this week forced about 375 people to evacuate.
Local Impact
Photos and videos out of Indiana show scenes of destruction as floodwaters rushed into homes and businesses, leaving them in shambles. Timothy Hicks, a father of six, told the Associated Press it was “a panic to get out of here” when floodwaters began pouring into their Cambridge City, Indiana, house on Wednesday.
Security camera photos show the devastation caused by flooding in Metamora, Indiana, where numerous businesses were damaged after severe weather hit on Wednesday. Bill Smith, owner of Village Smith and Village Smith Coffee Bar, told CNN that many residents are facing significant losses.
Yorktown, in Indiana’s Delaware County, declared a local disaster emergency Thursday afternoon, with first responders working around the clock to assist with evacuations. Drone footage shared by the city showed houses, vehicles and roads submerged in muddy floodwaters.
In the town of Muncie, water is deep enough in the streets that rescuers are using motorized boats and essential infrastructure is failing. “I’ve been with the department for 29 years, and I’ve never seen flooding like this,” the city’s Fire Chief Dan Burford told CNN Thursday.
Sheriff’s deputies in Delaware County said they were still searching for missing 18-year-old Matthew Morey after responding to a report that four teens had jumped from a bridge into the Mississinewa River at around 8:30 p.m. Wednesday. Authorities had to temporarily pause the search due to the conditions, officials said.
Regional Impact
Millions across the Midwest remain under flood watches early Friday for additional bouts of rain sweeping through the region. Saturated ground and swollen rivers will make it easier for even modest rainfall to cause new problems.
Iowa and northwestern Illinois face the greatest risk of flooding rain Friday, with more storms targeting communities already soaked this week. A Level 3 of 4 risk is in place, and significant flash flooding is possible.
Storms will sweep from west to east Friday morning, with another, potentially more widespread round expected Friday night. Some already waterlogged communities could be hit repeatedly, causing rainfall to accumulate quickly.
Original reporting: KRDO (Colorado Springs metro) — read the source article.
