Indiana Flood Death Toll Hits Five as White River Breaks 1913 Record, Trump Approves Federal Aid

Since the White River began climbing past century-old flood marks this past week, Indiana's death toll from the flooding has reached five, according to Gov. Mike Braun. The water still hasn't finished rising in some spots.

The National Weather Service says more than 11 inches of rain fell in some areas over just two days. The White River crested above 24 feet in both Anderson and Noblesville, breaking records set in 1913, according to The Independent. Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett says it's the city's worst flooding in more than 30 years, per PBS.

Rescue numbers grew through the day Saturday. Rita Reith, spokesperson for the Indianapolis Fire Department, told PBS that as of late afternoon crews had pulled 95 people and 45 pets from floodwaters, up from the 91 people and 45 pets she'd reported to The Independent earlier that day. Dispatchers logged hundreds of calls for service.

The damage runs along the river corridor from Hamilton County into Indianapolis's northern suburbs. More than a dozen counties have declared local disasters. Governor Braun's office says over 350 evacuations happened in Delaware County alone, a senior mobile home community in Tipton County was evacuated, and welfare checks were underway in Fayette County, according to PBS.

Jacob Spence, director of Marion County Emergency Management, didn't mince words describing the scope of it to the Associated Press. "This is one of those once-in-a-lifetime type floods," he said. "So yeah, this is an unprecedented event and unfortunately we're setting some new records."

Who died

The five deaths span a range of causes tied to the storms. PBS reports one victim was a boy killed when a tree fell on his home. Another was a 58-year-old woman in Delaware County whom sheriff's deputies believe died after driving into floodwaters, found Friday.

The most gutting loss is Matthew Morey, an 18-year-old incoming Purdue University freshman who went missing after entering the Mississinewa River with three others on Wednesday. The Delaware County Sheriff's Office confirmed Saturday that his body had been found. "There are no words that can ease the pain of losing a child," the office said in a statement to CBS News.

Governor Braun addressed the losses directly Saturday. "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," he said. "Please continue to take flooding seriously and stay away from floodwaters."

Federal response moves fast

Braun said he spoke with President Trump, who approved the governor's request for a presidential emergency declaration Saturday, freeing up to $5 million in federal resources for response and recovery, according to CBS News. The approval came without the drawn-out political back-and-forth that has sometimes accompanied federal disaster requests from other states in recent years.

On the ground, National Guard vehicles assisted rescue efforts as the White River was expected to crest Saturday evening in Indianapolis, The Independent reported. Todd Wilson, director of the city's public works department, kept the warning simple: "The water is still rising, so heed the warnings."

Property damage piling up

The Yorktown Public Library in Delaware County posted photos showing roughly a foot of floodwater throughout the building. "Seeing our library in this state yesterday was nothing short of devastating," the library wrote on Facebook, adding that waters had receded by Friday morning and a water mitigation company was being brought in.

Hundreds of homes between the White River and its parallel canals in Indianapolis were evacuated Saturday, with first responders using boats to reach people already stranded, according to PBS. Social media video reviewed by The Independent showed stranded vehicles, downed power poles and flooded streets across the region.

Flash-flood warnings and watches remained active across central Indiana Saturday even as some floodwaters began receding north of the city. Forecasters told The Independent that more showers and thunderstorms were expected to move through the area, meaning the crest in Indianapolis may not be the last of it. Whether the $5 million in initial federal aid proves sufficient will likely depend on damage assessments that Indiana officials have not yet completed.