Relentless storms continue to batter the Midwest and Ohio Valley, with millions bracing for more severe weather after a week marked by deadly windstorms and catastrophic flash flooding. On Thursday (August 13), residents faced renewed warnings as thunderstorms and heavy rain threatened to worsen already dire conditions.

The region is under multiple flash flood and severe thunderstorm risks. Indiana, in particular, has suffered significant flooding, with a 1-in-1,000-year rainfall event on Wednesday (August 12) swamping towns like Cambridge City and Muncie. Roads became impassable, forcing rescuers to evacuate dozens from homes and vehicles. In New Castle, more than 120 residents were evacuated from an apartment complex as water levels rose to waist height.

Indiana Governor Mike Braun declared a statewide disaster emergency Thursday to mobilize resources for communities hit hardest by the storms. The Wayne County Emergency Management Agency reported more than 30 rescues by boat as floodwaters inundated neighborhoods. Utilities have been disrupted, with boil-water advisories and electricity shut-offs in some affected areas.

The dangerous weather comes just days after a powerful derecho—an unusually long-lasting windstorm—swept through Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio on Tuesday (August 11). Winds reached nearly 100 mph in some areas, downing trees and power lines and leaving over a million customers without electricity at the peak. A four-year-old boy was killed in Geneva Township, Indiana, when a tree fell on a home, while another person died in Portage, Indiana, in a house explosion believed linked to storm damage. Ohio Governor Mike DeWine also confirmed a fatality in his state after emergency responders were unable to reach a person during flooding emergencies (FOX Weather).

As of Thursday, more than 400,000 customers across Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio remained without power. The National Weather Service issued multiple flash flood emergencies and tornado warnings, while a Level 3 out of 4 risk for flooding rainfall remains in effect over parts of Indiana and southwest Ohio. Some areas could see another one to three inches of rain, with totals as high as six inches possible if storms stall.

Flood watches stretch from Indiana and Ohio into West Virginia, Kentucky, Virginia, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Tennessee through Friday. River flooding remains a concern, and more rounds of storms are expected to persist into the weekend.

Officials urge residents to monitor alerts and be prepared for rapidly changing conditions. Relief and repair efforts are underway, but forecasters warn that the threat of severe weather is not yet over.

Tanner, Laura, & Casey

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