7 killed by flooding, wind damage in Indiana

MUNSTER, Ind. – Heavy rains and strong winds that swept across the Midwest during the weekend caused seven deaths in Indiana and flooded hundreds of homes in the state’s northwestern corner.

A busy stretch of Interstate 80/94 just east of the Indiana-Illinois state line remained closed Monday morning because of flooding, while electricity remained out for more than 100,000 homes and businesses in a large swath of southern Indiana.

Two deaths happened in Chesterton of northwestern Indiana when a teacher and his 74-year-old father drowned after being sucked into a culvert Sunday morning while trying to rescue a 10-year-old boy from a flooded ditch in a subdivision, state conservation officers said.

Four people died Sunday in southern Indiana from falling trees, and a man was killed when he was hit by a large limb he was trying to remove from a tree, authorities said.
The sun was out Monday in hard-hit Munster of northwestern Indiana, but the floodwaters from the Little Calumet River had not dropped much, town Councilman David Nellans said.

Crews continued helping people leave their homes by boat Monday, and about 160 people were being evacuated from a nursing home. Those living in about 1,000 homes had been told by Munster officials to leave their residences, with evacuations recommended for 700 more homes.

An estimate of how many homes were damaged was not immediately available, although Nellans said many homes had their basements completely flooded and had water on the first floor.

“I’d be happier if we saw the water levels were lowering more quickly,” Nellans said.
Sunday’s rains and high winds came from the remnants of Hurricane Ike on the heels of a drenching in the Chicago area and northern Indiana on Saturday. Weekend rain totals reached 8.4 inches in Valparaiso and 7.7 inches in South Bend, according to the National Weather Service.
Much less rain fell in central and southern Indiana, but winds of 60 mph or more knocked down trees and power lines. The rain and winds also forced an early end to the MotoGP motorcycle race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where a tent collapse hurt two fans. They suffered non-life-threatening injuries, said a track spokesman.

“It felt like hurricane conditions because we had to turn sideways because we were getting hit so hard with rain,” said race fan Jeff Bunch of Louisville, Ky.

Utilities reported more than 150,000 homes and businesses without power scattered across the southern half of the state Monday morning, with large concentrations in Clark and Floyd counties near Louisville and in Monroe County.

Stephanie Babig left her home at 11 a.m., but said her adult daughter waited until 5 p.m. By that time her basement was full and the water in the street was waist-deep.
Gerry Lesko said it was the worst flooding she’d seen in the 45 years she and her husband have lived in their home in Munster.

“Under such terrible circumstances, it’s been heartwarming to see everyone come together,” she said. “Too bad it can’t be like this under normal situation.”