Severe storms leave tens of thousands without power in Indiana

Severe storms hit northwest Indiana on August 11, leaving hundreds of thousands of homes without electricity. At the worst point, about 374,500 customers lost power in the region. Eleven days later, between 30,000 and 68,000 households still had no electricity.

The utility company had reconnected power to around 306,500 customers by August 21. Some areas, including the city of Gary, were not expected to get power back until the following Tuesday.

Life without electricity has been hard for residents. Food has spoiled, water has needed boiling before drinking, and traffic lights have stopped working. Governor Mike Braun has asked the federal government to declare a major disaster and says total damage could be more than five billion dollars.