INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (AP) — Several dozen people and their pets were rescued Saturday as floodwaters rose along the White River in Indianapolis, and emergency managers said that number was expected to climb as authorities in the city and elsewhere in central Indiana responded to what many described as historic flooding.The damage so far was concentrated along the river corridor from Hamilton County and into the northern Indianapolis suburbs. Farther east in Delaware County, sheriff deputies on Friday found the body of a 58-year-old woman who they believe died after trying to drive through floodwaters.Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett was joined by emergency managers during a briefing Saturday as he urged residents along the river to evacuate. A day earlier, he had declared a local emergency as heavy rains resulted in creeks and streams swelling throughout central Indiana.
“This is one of those once-in-a-lifetime type floods,” Jacob Spence, director of Marion County Emergency Management, told The Associated Press. “So yeah, this is an unprecedented event and unfortunately we’re setting some new records.”Gov. Mike Braun has requested a presidential emergency declaration to free up federal resources to help with the response and recovery following days of record rainfall.
