INDIANAPOLIS — Thousands of Hoosiers have found themselves without power since Wednesday when storms swept through Central Indiana.
Anthony Elias and Michelle Hornsby, among those affected, were forced to take refuge in their basement during the brief yet intense storm.
“It was only a 20-minute storm, and we are still without electricity,” Elias said.
On Thursday morning, Hornsby retrieved a generator from her daughter to provide some relief.
“This generator is now helping to provide some relief to the neighbors,” she noted, emphasizing the sense of community during this challenging time. “We’ve tried to keep it cool, but with the heat coming this weekend, there’s no way our fans will keep up," Elias said.
AES Indiana is prioritizing efforts to restore power in areas most affected by the storms. A company spokesperson explained that each outage is treated as an incident, and some repairs, such as replacing utility poles, can take up to eight hours.
With this weekend's heatwave looming, residents are urged to stay hydrated.
If you plan to beat the heat at the pool, experts urge to be cautious around the water, especially with young children.
“Make sure young children, infants, and toddlers are in arm’s reach while around the pool,” Dr. Jessica Kanis, Associate Professor of Clinical Pediatrics at Riley Hospital for Children, said.
With the heat rising and power still out for many, the community pulls together in hopes of restoring normalcy in the days ahead.
“Try to prepare and call AES as much as possible. There are many elderly folks in this area, and we need to get this resolved,” Elias stressed.
AES says it expects most of the remaining customers to be restored by mid-day Sunday.
For a list of pools and splash pads that you can visit near you, click here.
These Family Centers will be open as Cooling Centers from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.
- Stanley Strader Park
- Broad Ripple Park
- Thatcher Park
- Indy Island
