Indiana Floods Damage Homes, Infrastructure
Record flooding in central and eastern Indiana has destroyed critical infrastructure, left over 1,000 people homeless, and claimed seven lives.
Record flooding across central and eastern Indiana has destroyed critical infrastructure, made more than 1,000 people homeless, and taken seven lives. The flooding followed about 10 inches of rain falling by mid-morning on August 12 in Cambridge City, a town of 1,700 people in south-east Indiana.
In Cambridge City, flooding from the Creitz Creek damaged about 250 houses, or one-third of all homes in the town. About 175 of those homes experienced significant damage. Resident Rick Keasling recalls the water rising almost five feet inside his home, forcing him, his wife, and their dog to flee. "The dog had to swim to the truck," he says. "We've lost everything on the first floor and in the basement. All the big appliances."
Infrastructure and Wider Impact
A section of Interstate-70, a major highway, was washed away a few miles north of Cambridge City. In north-west Indiana, hundreds of thousands of people in Gary were left without electricity for more than two weeks following a derecho storm on August 11. The cost of this month's storms and flooding is estimated by state leaders at about $5 billion.
Political and Financial Response
Indiana's state disaster relief fund stood at just $2 million before the flooding, though it has since been raised to $5 million. According to the source, the state legislature, where Republicans hold a supermajority, has repeatedly refused to fund climate-related initiatives. The state's senate environmental affairs committee has twice refused to consider legislation for a climate solutions taskforce. Indiana cut state funding for environmental agencies by 19% between 2010 and 2024, while neighboring states increased theirs.
| State | Change in Environmental Agency Funding (2010-2024) |
|---|---|
| Indiana | -19% |
| Ohio | +19% |
| Michigan | +78% |
Donald Trump has approved Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) disaster aid for more than 50 counties, but that aid is capped at just $5 million. Indiana's governor, Mike Braun, submitted a disaster declaration to FEMA on August 21, but no response has been received. The source states that FEMA under the current Trump administration has turned down more than 30 disaster declarations and takes longer to approve requests.
Local Struggles and Risk Factors
Beth Hall, director of the Indiana state climate office, says climate change played a role. "The warmer atmosphere would have allowed for more vapor to ultimately condense and fall as rain," she states. Nearly all properties affected in Cambridge City are in a FEMA flood zone AE, a high-risk area. Many residents cannot afford flood insurance due to high premiums, a significant challenge in a town where the median household income is about 60% of the national level.
Small businesses can apply for a county grant of up to $5,000, but few are open. Tami Hall, who runs Vinton House Antiques, lost most of her basement equipment. "I think people think that everything's closed," she says. Tom Saunders, a town board member from the flooded neighboring community of Lewisville, highlights the struggle for smaller villages. "I have a gentleman, he's 69 years old, he lost his mobile home, his four cars, everything," he says. "There's nobody to help."
Ten days after the flood, volunteers staff a food truck serving about 70 people daily. Residents deal with looting. Rick Keasling says his flood insurance won't cover the damage. Industrial dehumidifiers whir in his gutted home. "Down in Connersville," he notes, "they're tearing down houses today."
