Record river levels, widespread damage and hundreds of evacuations followed days of torrential rain across central and northern Indiana.
INDIANAPOLIS, IN — At least seven people have died after days of severe storms and historic flooding swept across Indiana, leaving damaged roads, flooded homes and record river levels as communities began assessing the destruction.
The deaths occurred after storms began Aug. 11 and brought repeated rounds of heavy rain to much of the state. Indiana public safety officials said the victims included a 4-year-old boy, three men and three women. The disasters stretched across several counties as flooding, strong winds and fast-moving water created dangerous conditions far beyond Indianapolis.
The National Weather Service said some parts of central Indiana received more than a foot of rain during the multi-day event. The White River climbed to levels not seen in more than a century, setting new record crests at Anderson and Noblesville. The previous records at those locations dated to 1913. At Nora, the river reached its highest level since the 1913 record.
Among the latest deaths confirmed was 31-year-old James Briar, a cyclist found early Sunday in a section of washed-out road in Henry County, east of Indianapolis. Henry County Coroner Brian Clark said Briar appeared to have gone around a barricade before falling into the collapsed section of road. Flooding had washed away roads and culverts in parts of the county during the storms.
In Delaware County, authorities recovered the body of 19-year-old Matthew Morey on Saturday after he entered the swollen Mississinewa River several days earlier. Sheriff Tony Skinner said in a statement that the department’s thoughts were with Morey’s family, friends and classmates. Morey had recently graduated from high school and was preparing to attend Purdue University.
Delaware County authorities also recovered 58-year-old Stephanie Sallee and her dog near a cornfield after her vehicle was apparently swept from a flooded road. Officials said they believed Sallee had been driving through high water before the vehicle was carried away. A 4-year-old boy in Jennings County was killed earlier in the week when a tree fell through his bedroom during strong winds.
Floodwaters also caused extensive damage in Indianapolis and communities along the White River. The river peaked in Indianapolis early Sunday before beginning to recede. Hundreds of homes near the river and canals were evacuated, and emergency shelters remained open as rescue crews used boats to reach people stranded by rapidly rising water.
State officials said more than 350 evacuations, along with numerous rescues and welfare checks, had been carried out outside Indianapolis. One operation involved a senior mobile home community north of the city. Roads and bridges were damaged or completely washed away in several counties, while National Weather Service reports documented stranded vehicles, flooded neighborhoods and widespread road closures.
Nearly 130,000 utility customers remained without power statewide late Sunday, down from a peak of about 300,000 during the storms. Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett described the flooding as the worst the city had experienced in more than 30 years. Farther north, officials in Hamilton County said water was receding as crews began evaluating damage to homes and infrastructure.
Gov. Mike Braun sought federal help as the scale of the disaster became clearer, and President Donald Trump approved federal emergency assistance over the weekend. Recovery work was underway as floodwaters receded in some communities, but officials continued assessing damage and monitoring rivers after a storm system that produced some of Indiana’s highest water levels in generations.
Author note: Last updated August 17, 2026.