INDIANAPOLIS: At least five people have died after severe flooding swept across the US state of Indiana, with officials describing the disaster as the worst the region has experienced in more than three decades.
Heavy storms continued to batter parts of the state on Saturday, forcing emergency crews to use boats to rescue residents from flooded neighbourhoods along the White River in Indianapolis.
Authorities urged people in vulnerable areas to follow evacuation orders as water levels continued to rise.
The National Weather Service said more than 11 inches of rain fell over two days in some areas. The White River rose above 24 feet in Anderson and Noblesville, surpassing records dating back to 1913.
Hundreds evacuated
Around 400 people evacuated parts of northern Indianapolis independently, while more than 350 evacuations were carried out in Delaware County.
Indianapolis firefighters had rescued 95 people and 45 pets by late Saturday afternoon after emergency dispatchers received hundreds of calls.
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Among the victims was a 58-year-old woman believed to have died after attempting to drive through floodwaters in Delaware County. Authorities also recovered the body of a teenager reported missing after jumping into a river.
Officials said flooding had reached areas with little history of such disasters, putting additional pressure on emergency services.
More than 150,000 customers were without electricity on Saturday afternoon.
Indiana Governor Mike Braun said President Donald Trump intended to approve his request for federal resources to support emergency response and recovery efforts.
