Indiana seeks FEMA aid for more flood-hit counties as damage checks continue

Indiana officials are pushing to expand federal disaster assistance after a punishing stretch of August storms damaged homes, flooded neighborhoods, and left thousands of residents seeking support.

Here's what to know

Since FEMA approved a disaster declaration for 21 Indiana counties on August 25, residents have already submitted more than 13,000 aid applications, as Ink Free News reported. Damage reviews are still continuing from the storms and flooding that began on August 11, which could make even more counties eligible for assistance.

Governor Mike Braun requested federal assistance for 54 counties. The first approvals followed what Fred Kaehler, FEMA's acting regional administrator, described as "rapid assessments to try to expedite the process." 

In Braun's request, preliminary estimates put residential property damage at roughly $550 million to more than $5 billion across at least 22,164 parcels, according to Ink Free News.

If approved, the request could bring much-needed relief to additional counties as officials continue documenting the full extent of the severe weather's toll.

More background

The wind damage in northwest Indiana caused more than 350,000 outages, with several thousand homes left without electricity for more than 10 days before restoration was described as substantially complete on August 26. 

Flooding affected communities across central and eastern Indiana, and the White River reached record highs as it moved into Indianapolis. The outbreak included severe thunderstorms, tornadoes, a derecho, and major flooding.

Lingering floodwaters can leave behind contaminated water, mold risks, unsafe housing conditions, and costly repairs that continue to strain families long after the rain has stopped.

Because standard homeowners policies often cover wind damage but exclude flood damage, Braun said FEMA assistance could be especially important for residents dealing with those losses, as Ink Free News noted. 

What's being done?

As state and federal officials continue assessing damage in hopes of adding more counties to the disaster declaration, residents in the counties already approved have 60 days to apply for aid at disasterassistance.gov.

While urging eligible households to apply quickly, Kaehler also emphasized that FEMA aid has limits. 

"FEMA assistance will not replace all the losses. Insurance is always the best," he said. "The FEMA grant can make the resident, the home, secure and safe, but it will never be as robust as full insurance coverage, and we know that's sometimes a challenge. But we'll help in those situations."

Officials are working to open mobile sites where residents can submit disaster applications, and fixed offices are expected as well, according to Jonathan Whitham, executive director of the Indiana Department of Homeland Security. 

"Those will be more of the traditional disaster recovery sites that will be located strategically around the state," he said. "Obviously, we want to go where the damage has occurred."

Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita warned residents to be on guard for scams, including people posing as FEMA inspectors and contractors asking for inflated prices or large upfront deposits. Complaints can be submitted to the Consumer Protection Division at indianaconsumer.com.

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