Catastrophic’ Flooding and Evacuations in Indiana

Life-threatening flash flooding continues to inundate parts of eastern Indiana after a deadly derecho swept across the Midwest on Tuesday, August 11, 2026 . Nearly 10 inches of rain—more than two months' worth—has fallen in parts of the state, triggering "catastrophic" flooding in Cambridge City and waist-deep waters in New Castle . The National Weather Service has issued Flash Flood Emergencies across at least seven counties, including Delaware, Fayette, Union, Wayne and Franklin . Evacuations are underway in Muncie, where the fire department is going door-to-door to rescue residents from about 200 affected homes . New Castle recorded a 1-in-1000-year rainfall event, with a 0.1% chance of occurring in any given year . At least three deaths have been confirmed, including a 4-year-old boy killed when a tree fell on a home in Geneva Township, Indiana, and one person in Portage, Indiana, found dead after an apparent house explosion suspected to be linked to downed trees damaging gas lines . More than 300,000 customers remain without power across the state as of Wednesday afternoon . Governor Mike Braun has directed the Indiana Department of Homeland Security to coordinate response efforts, with the State Emergency Operations Center elevated to Level 3 activation . Additional storms are expected Thursday, with rainfall rates up to 3 inches per hour, threatening further flooding across Illinois, Indiana and Ohio .