At least six dead as severe storms and historic flooding hit Indiana
At least six people have died after severe storms and flooding spread across Indiana beginning August 11, 2026, while major White River flooding forced evacuations and rescues across several counties. The National Weather Service said widespread flooding was affecting the White River late August 15, with major flooding at Noblesville and Nora and extensive flooding around Ravenswood near and north of Indianapolis. NWS described the flooding in parts of central Indiana as catastrophic.
Flood in Cambridge City, Indiana on August 14, 2026. Credit: Governor Mike Braun
- Severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding affected Indiana since August 11, with some of the worst flooding reported across central parts of the state.
- At least six people have died, according to the Indiana State Emergency Operations Center. Two deaths were reported in Delaware County, with one each in Jennings, Lake, Porter and LaPorte counties.
- NWS Indianapolis recorded a highest reported two-day total of 292.1 mm (11.50 inches) near New Lisbon in Henry County, while several other locations received more than 254 mm (10 inches).
- The White River reached record levels in parts of Indiana. At Anderson, NWS measured a record crest of 7.60 m (24.93 feet) on August 14, while Noblesville reached 7.50 m (24.6 feet), above NOAA’s listed record level of 7.25 m (23.8 feet).
- More than 350 people were evacuated in Delaware County, while Indianapolis firefighters rescued 95 people and 45 pets as major flooding affected communities along the White River.
Severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding impacted Indiana from August 11 to 16, leaving at least six people dead, including a 4-year-old boy, the Indiana State Emergency Operations Center reported. Two deaths were recorded in Delaware County and one each in Jennings, Lake, Porter and LaPorte counties.
The Jennings County Sheriff’s Office said the 4-year-old boy died after a tree fell on his home. A 58-year-old woman was swept away after driving into floodwater, while a teenager who entered a river on August 12 was later recovered.
National Weather Service (NWS) Indianapolis reported multiple rounds of strong to severe thunderstorms during the multi-day event, including a tornado, downed trees and power lines, property damage and exceptionally heavy rainfall. NWS described flooding in portions of central Indiana as catastrophic.
The highest storm-total report received by NWS Indianapolis as of the evening of August 13 was 292.1 mm (11.50 inches) over two days at a location 4.3 km (2.7 miles) east-northeast of New Lisbon in Henry County.
New Castle received 285.5 mm (11.24 inches) at one observing site and 285.2 mm (11.23 inches) at another, while Modoc in Randolph County recorded 271.5 mm (10.69 inches). A station 5.6 km (3.5 miles) northeast of Springport in Delaware County measured 260.9 mm (10.27 inches), and Summitville in neighboring Madison County reported 254 mm (10.00 inches).
By 23:33 EDT on August 15 (03:33 UTC on August 16), widespread river flooding was continuing along the White River and associated tributaries. Major flooding was occurring near and north of Indianapolis, with the most serious conditions centered on Noblesville and Nora and extensive flooding affecting the Ravenswood area. The flood crest had reached the vicinity of the Indianapolis Museum of Art and was continuing downstream.
Record-level flooding developed farther upstream during the event. At Anderson, NWS Northern Indiana reported historic flooding and a record White River crest of 7.60 m (24.93 feet) on August 14. This broke the previous record benchmark at the Anderson gauge of 7.19 m (23.6 feet).
By 22:30 EDT on August 15 (02:30 UTC on August 16), the White River at Anderson had fallen to 4.60 m (15.1 feet) after reaching a maximum of 6.07 m (19.9 feet) during the preceding 24 hours. Flood stage at Anderson is 3.05 m (10 feet), and moderate flooding was still occurring late August 15.
NWS reported major flooding at Noblesville as occurring and forecast. The White River stood at 6.95 m (22.8 feet) at 22:45 EDT on August 15 (02:45 UTC on August 16), after reaching a maximum of 7.50 m (24.6 feet) during the preceding 24 hours. Flood stage is at 4.27 m (14 feet).
NOAA’s National Water Prediction Service reports 7.25 m (23.8 feet) as the record level for the Noblesville gauge and identified a record flood in progress during the event. The NWS 24-hour maximum of 7.50 m (24.6 feet) was 0.24 m (0.8 feet) above the benchmark, while the active NWS flood statement continued to describe conditions at the gauge as approaching the flood of record.
NWS stage-impact guidance for 7.01 m (23 feet) at Noblesville indicates flooding in the commercial district on the city’s south side and extensive inundation along East 96th, 116th, 122nd, 126th and 146th streets in Hamilton County. At that stage, many evacuations are typically necessary, with southwest Noblesville west of 4th Street, the Noblesville Wastewater Treatment Plant, East 116th Street, River Road and numerous local roads near the White River subject to flooding.
Major flooding was also occurring at Nora. The White River measured 6.22 m (20.4 feet) at 23:00 EDT on August 15 (03:00 UTC on August 16), after reaching a 24-hour maximum of 6.46 m (21.2 feet). Flood stage is 3.35 m (11 feet), and NWS said conditions were approaching the flood of record.
At a river level of 6.10 m (20 feet), NWS stage-impact information indicates that floodwaters reach areas near Keystone Avenue north of the White River and can inundate much of Ravenswood, Mystic Bay and areas on both sides of Keystone Avenue south of East 80th Street by about 0.9 m (3 feet). The same stage-impact information includes flooding near Shore Acres, Williams Creek Cutoff east of Marott Park and Union Chapel Road, and extensive inundation near the Indianapolis Art Center and Edgewater Apartments.
The White River at Indianapolis was in moderate flood late August 15. NWS measured 6.25 m (20.5 feet) at 22:45 EDT (02:45 UTC on August 16), the highest stage during the previous 24 hours, against a flood stage of 4.88 m (16 feet). Stage-impact guidance for 6.25 m (20.5 feet) places flooding in residential areas near Interstate 465 on the city’s south side, including Hoosier Acres and High Acre Manor, and says flooding begins affecting the south-side wastewater plant.
The 6.25 m (20.5-foot) Indianapolis observation was separate from the downstream forecast at Raymond Street, where NWS expected the river to crest at 6.34 m (20.8 feet). The agency said the flood wave would continue downstream toward Centerton, where the crest was expected Monday afternoon, before reaching locations farther southwest.
Upstream, the White River at Muncie had declined to 2.90 m (9.5 feet) by 22:30 EDT on August 15 (02:30 UTC on August 16) after reaching a 24-hour maximum of 3.29 m (10.8 feet). Flood stage is 2.74 m (9 feet). NWS said minor flooding of lowlands across Delaware County outside Muncie was continuing, but the river was forecast to fall below flood stage late Saturday night while major flooding persisted farther downstream.
The Indiana governor’s office reported more than 350 evacuations in Delaware County. Responders and volunteers were also conducting rescues and welfare checks in Fayette County, while a senior mobile-home community in Tipton County was being evacuated.
Indianapolis Fire Department crews used boats to reach residents stranded by rising water along the White River. Department spokesperson Rita Reith said firefighters had rescued 95 people and 45 pets by late afternoon August 15. Dispatchers received hundreds of calls for service, and hundreds of homes in neighborhoods between the White River and parallel canals were evacuated.
More than a dozen counties declared local disasters by August 15. Much of the latest flood damage was concentrated along river corridors from Hamilton County toward the northern suburbs of Indianapolis, while communities farther upstream had started cleanup as water levels receded.
FEMA said federal disaster assistance was available to Indiana following approval of an emergency declaration for severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding beginning August 11 and continuing. The declaration supplements state, tribal and local response operations.
Indiana Governor Mike said August 15 he requested a Presidential Emergency Declaration through FEMA to bring additional federal resources to Indiana as they continue responding to this week’s severe weather.
Braun urged residents to continue taking flooding seriously and stay out of floodwater. Indiana National Guard vehicles were deployed to assist rescue operations in the Indianapolis area as the White River flood crest moved downstream.
At Spencer, the White River was at 3.93 m (12.9 feet) at 22:30 EDT on August 15 (02:30 UTC on August 16), below the 4.27 m (14-foot) flood stage, but NWS forecast the river to rise above flood stage Sunday afternoon and crest near 6.25 m (20.5 feet) early Wednesday.
NWS reported minor flooding on the Big Blue River at Shelbyville, the Flatrock River near Columbus and the East Fork White River at Seymour, with additional downstream flooding forecast along the East Fork White River toward Rivervale.
At Seymour, the East Fork White River was 5.15 m (16.9 feet) at 21:45 EDT on August 15 (01:45 UTC on August 16), after reaching 5.18 m (17.0 feet) during the preceding 24 hours. Flood stage is 3.66 m (12 feet), and NWS said minor flooding was occurring. At 5.18 m (17 feet), NWS stage-impact information associates the river level with more extensive flooding, including flooded local and state roads and an impassable County Road 760 E south of the gauge.
Muncie and Anderson were receding late August 15, while major flooding remained at Noblesville and Nora, moderate flooding continued at Indianapolis, and the White River flood wave was still moving southwest. The 23:33 EDT August 15 (03:33 UTC August 16) NWS statement said another upper and middle White River update was expected around 12:15 EDT (16:15 UTC) on August 16.
“The weather story remained unchanged through this week thanks to a stagnant weather pattern across the Lower 48, but a change is on the horizon for the upcoming work week,” NWS forecaster Dolan said August 15.
“Until then, unsettled weather will continue from the Midwest to the central Appalachians in the vicinity of a stationary front, with scattered severe thunderstorms possible through Sunday as waves of upper level energy move overhead.”
NWS said severe thunderstorms may spill into the Mid-Atlantic on Sunday, August 16, and could produce locally heavy rain and scattered instances of flash flooding. Unsettled weather is also expected across the High Plains through the weekend as a cold front pushes south across the region, with the tail end of the front stalling up against the Rocky Mountains.
Upper level shortwaves moving north along the western edge of a ridge anchored over the Gulf Coast will interact with the frontal boundary and create a threat of scattered severe thunderstorms over the central High Plains.
Storms will be capable of producing heavy rainfall that could lead to scattered instances of flash flooding, especially in vulnerable areas near steep terrain, burn scars, slot canyons, and urbanized areas.
Sunday night into Monday, the weather pattern will become more energetic, and a low pressure system will track east along the US-Canada border, according to NWS. The problematic stationary front over the Midwest and Ohio Valley will weaken as the low pressure system pushes a stronger cold front towards these regions.
The cold front is expected to push towards the East Coast on Monday, with high pressure building in its wake across the Midwest. Another cold front will drop into the north-central U.S. on Monday, resulting in increasing precipitation chances for the region.
References:
1 Severe Weather, Heavy Rain, and Flooding around August 12, 2026 – NWS/Indianapolis – August 14, 2026
2 Flood Statement: White River from Muncie to Spencer – NWS/Indianapolis – August 16, 2026
3 Short Range Public Discussion – NWS/WPC – August 15, 2026
Teo Blašković founded The Watchers in 2011 and edited it until 2026, covering seismic and volcanic activity, extreme weather, space weather and near-Earth objects. Articles on this page are his archive.
