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Indiana Governor Declares Statewide Disaster Emergency, Mobilizes National Guard
The emergency declaration mobilizes state resources after record flooding forced evacuations and 25 rescues, officials said.
On Thursday, Indiana Governor Mike Braun declared a statewide disaster emergency to strengthen response efforts following Tuesday's severe storms, which brought flooding, tornadic activity, and a destructive "derecho" windstorm.
Tuesday's severe weather caused significant destruction across Indiana, with winds reaching up to 99 mph in Gary and some central regions recording as much as 10 inches of rain, killing a 4-year-old child in Jennings County.
NIPSCO reported 269,726 outages affecting its 500,000 customers in northwest Indiana, while Hammond Mayor Tom McDermott warned residents to prepare for extended power restoration through the weekend.
Gary Mayor Eddie Melton characterized the city's response as "all hands on deck," while Franklin County officials reported 14 evacuations and 25 rescues as self-evacuations continued in hard-hit communities.
Residents can report storm damage by calling 211-9966 through Indiana 211, as state agencies mobilize resources to assist flooded communities like Connersville, where water levels reached record heights.