Eastern Indiana faces catastrophic flooding as the White River surges to its highest levels in over a century, forcing mass evacuations and stranding hundreds of residents after a rare 1-in-1,000 year rainfall event struck Wednesday. Governor Mike Braun declared a statewide disaster emergency as rescue crews use motorized boats to navigate streets submerged under nine feet of water.

Record-Breaking River Levels Force Emergency Rescues

The White River at Anderson reached major flood stage Thursday afternoon, with forecasters predicting a record crest exceeding 24 feet by nightfall—the highest water levels recorded in more than 100 years. Authorities are evacuating northern sections of Anderson where residential and commercial areas face floodwaters several feet deep. In nearby Muncie, fire crews are conducting ongoing rescues of drivers trapped in vehicles and residents stranded in homes.

Fire Chief Dan Burford, a 29-year veteran of the Muncie Fire Department, described conditions unlike anything he has witnessed in his career. More than half the homes in one 30-square-block residential area have sustained flood damage, with some neighborhoods experiencing water depths of nine feet. The local utility company cut power to affected zones for safety reasons.

Multiple Counties Under Emergency Conditions

Parts of seven counties in eastern Indiana were placed under flash flood emergency warnings Wednesday, the highest level of flood alert issued by the National Weather Service. The region received between six and twelve inches of rain this week—equivalent to several months of normal precipitation. Wayne County rescue teams pulled residents from rooftops and vehicle tops as floodwaters rapidly surrounded homes and businesses.

The crisis began one day after a deadly derecho—a rare, long-lasting windstorm—tore through the Midwest. More than 240,000 Indiana homes and businesses remained without electricity Thursday morning, with total power outages across the Midwest and Ohio Valley exceeding 400,000 customers. One northern Indiana utility company reported its most widespread outage in company history.

Additional Storms Threaten Vulnerable Areas

Over 17 million people from Iowa to West Virginia remain under flood watches through Friday as additional rainstorms move through the saturated region. Weather forecasters warn that already-swollen rivers and water-logged ground will make even modest rainfall dangerous. The region will not see meaningful relief from storm systems until this weekend. Authorities continue urging residents in low-lying areas to heed evacuation warnings as river levels continue rising across eastern Indiana.