Gov. Braun requests FEMA aid after deadly Indiana storms, flooding

INDIANAPOLIS (WRTV) — Gov. Mike Braun on Friday requested federal help after a week of deadly storms.

The Republican governor asked the Federal Emergency Management Agency to declare a presidential emergency for Indiana. The request follows tornadoes, record flooding, and a derecho that began moving through the state on Aug. 11, said a news release from the governor’s office.

The request asks for federal money to cover emergency costs. This includes paying for water rescues, speeding up power repairs and helping with other immediate needs in the areas hit by the storms.

The storms killed and injured several people, destroyed homes and businesses, and damaged roads and bridges. The severe weather also displaced families and knocked out emergency communications. At the height of the outages, more than 300,000 people lost power. Flooding reached record levels in some areas, which led to road closures across the state.

Braun and state emergency officials on Friday were coordinating help while communities began to recover. State agencies and the Indiana National Guard remained in the field Friday to help local first responders.