At least 6 dead in storms that swept through Indiana
The storms brought lashing rains that prompted flood threats.
At least six people have died following storms that swept through Indiana over the past several days, according to state officials.
At a news conference earlier Saturday, officials confirmed a total of five deaths, and the state Department of Homeland Security later confirmed the death of a six person since the storm system began lashing the state Aug. 11.
Those killed include a 4-year-old boy, in Jennings County, Indiana, in the southeastern part of the state, who was killed when a tree toppled on his home in on Tuesday amid an outbreak of severe weather.
In addition, a 19-year-old man and 58-year-old woman in Delaware County in eastern Indiana were among the dead, according to the department.
The updated death toll came as rain continued lashing parts of the state, including in the Indianapolis area, where emergency crews made dozens of water rescues.
Earlier this week, Indiana Gov. Mike Braun declared a state of emergency, and he said in a social media post on Saturday he had spoken to President Donald Trump about "the severe storms and historic flooding impacting Indiana" and said the president had agreed to provide federal assistance.
At least 150,000 customers remain without power in the state as a result of the severe weather, Indiana DHS Executive Director Jonathan Whitham said during the Saturday briefing.
"As far as the flooding, again, that's an ongoing issue. That's going to continue for the next 24 hours at least, and then we'll start that recovery process next, Whitham said.
Latest forecast
A flash flood threat remained across several states Saturday afternoon, stretching from eastern Iowa to West Virginia.
Flood watches remained in effect for cities such as Indianapolis, Columbus, Ohio, and Charleston, West Virginia, with additional rounds of heavy rain and thunderstorms set to move through over the next 24 hours.
With the ground already saturated across the region, any additional rain could quickly bring more rounds of significant flash flooding where the heaviest rain develops.
Historic flooding around Indianapolis
At a press conference Saturday morning, Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett said the city hasn't seen similar flooding in decades.
"The city of Indianapolis is currently facing a flooding event that we have not seen in over 30 years," he said. "This is, it is an ever-evolving situation, and conditions can and are changing quite rapidly."
The Indianapolis Fire Department said it had conducted a total of 50 water rescues over the past several hours, helping evacuate 91 residents and 45 pets.
In Noblesville, north of Indianapolis, the White River broke a more than century-old record, according to Mayor Chris Jensen.
"The last 48 hours have been unprecedented in this community," Jensen said in a video posted to social media. "As you know, last night we broke the 113-year-old record from 1913, which was originally 23.8 feet. We crested late last night, early this morning at 24.6 feet here."
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