Danger remains as Indy's historic floodwaters fall
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Indianapolis firefighters rescue a resident from floodwaters in Ravenswood on Saturday morning. Photo: Courtesy of the Indianapolis Fire Department
Central Indiana’s historic floodwaters are receding, but emergency officials say some of Indianapolis’ hardest-hit areas remain unsafe for the Hoosiers who call them home.
Why it matters: The weekend flooding broke a 113-year record on the White River and has been linked to multiple deaths statewide, prompting local disaster response and a federal emergency declaration for Indiana.
What they’re saying: “This is probably going to be basically a 100-year flood. But please use this to learn and to think about the next one. That's what we're doing here,” Jacob Spence, director of Marion County Emergency Management, said during a Sunday briefing.
- “Most everyone on our staff has not been through this in a long time, or has never been through this,” he said. “So this is the time to take these lessons, and hopefully, we can make it better for the next time.”
Zoom in: Spence said the White River measured 18.56 feet at 82nd Street Sunday afternoon, down nearly 3 feet from its crest of 21.18 feet.
- “We are trending in the right direction and will continue to trend in a downward direction," Spence said, adding that the National Weather Service doesn't expect forecasted rain to reverse that trend.
- Indy DPW has reopened floodgates in the Opti-Park area of North Broad Ripple, clearing the way for evacuated residents living at Edgewater Apartments and nine homes near the Indy Art Center to return.
- The pedestrian floodgates in the Holcomb Garden area, as well as at the gate at West 52nd Street to the west of Butler University, have also been opened.
Yes, but: Ravenswood remains largely unsafe. Spence said a majority of those homes likely won't be safely accessible until Tuesday at the earliest.
- Flooding also caused significant structural damage throughout the area, like the collapse of River Road on Indy's north side and the Hazel Dell Parkway bridge in Carmel.
By the numbers: As of Sunday morning, the Indianapolis Fire Department had responded to 56 rescue incidents, evacuating 100 people and 48 pets.
- One minor injury has been reported in Indianapolis.
- The Red Cross shelter housed nine people as of Sunday afternoon.
- The city's pet-friendly shelter at the Noble Center at Tibbs also remains available, but no one was using the service by Sunday.
Between the lines: Regular trash pickup is expected to have limited disruption Monday, while solid-waste crews are identifying locations for roll-off dumpsters for larger debris.
- The city also launched a new flood resources hub online for damage self-reporting, volunteer and donation information and recovery steps.
- Officials ask that residents file damage reports to help build the case for FEMA assistance.
Zoom out: The White River reached record levels in Hamilton County, cresting at about 24.6 feet in Noblesville and eclipsing the previous record from 1913.
- In Carmel, 40 residents and a senior living facility were evacuated while more than 550 residential units in Noblesville were affected.
What's next: Marion County Emergency Management hopes to begin a full damage assessment Monday afternoon or Tuesday morning.
- Spence also urged residents to contact their insurance companies immediately, even without flood coverage, and to document all damage with photos and video now.
- To receive real-time public safety updates related to the flooding, text “INDYFLOOD26” to 67283.