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Frustration mounts for thousands still without power after deadly Indiana storms
CBS News • • general
Key Points:
- Severe storms beginning August 11 caused widespread power outages in northwest Indiana, killing at least seven people and displacing around 1,000 residents, with record rainfall flooding several communities.
- In Gary, Indiana, over half the city's residents lost electricity, affecting many low-income households; as of Saturday, more than 30,100 NIPSCO customers remained without power out of 374,500 initially impacted.
- Indiana Governor Mike Braun requested an expedited major disaster declaration from FEMA for 54 counties, estimating storm-related losses could exceed $5 billion to help accelerate recovery efforts.
- A class-action lawsuit was filed against NIPSCO, accusing the utility of inadequate vegetation management leading to power outages, though NIPSCO denies these claims and highlights increased spending on vegetation control since 2016.
- Gary Mayor Eddie Milton emphasized the need for improved emergency management and greater accountability from the utility company to better handle future crises.
