A massive storm system left hundreds of thousands of people across northwest Indiana without electricity.
Huge lines of cars stacked up outside gas stations and home improvement stores as people looked towards generators for power, turning everyday essentials such as gasoline, refrigeration, and backup power into hard-to-find commodities.
Here's what to know
About 302,000 NIPSCO electric customers, nearly three in five of the utility's customer base, were left without service after what the company told Fox 32 Chicago was its largest weather event on record.
In some areas, winds hit 124 miles per hour. The storm knocked down trees, power lines, and poles. It also damaged substations and blocked roads.
The blackout also triggered a scramble for supplies. Hammond resident Moses Lopez said a tree tore the electrical connection from his house, meaning repairs were needed before power could be restored.
For Munster resident Nikola Petrovic, the experience has been defined by repeated dead ends: "You know, everywhere we go, there's no solution."
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Residents also said they were crossing into Illinois to look for generators and gasoline as nearby stores and service stations ran short.
More background
When electricity is out for days, refrigerators stop working, medications can become unsafe or ineffective, air conditioning and medical devices may be unavailable, and people who rely on gas stations, traffic signals, and local businesses can feel the effects almost immediately.
Resident Nee Addy searched for a generator to stop food from spoiling as his family remained without power. Petrovic also said his family went to Calumet City for gasoline because stations closer to home were packed.
What's being done?
NIPSCO said employees were working continuously and that every available resource was used in the response.
Regional mutual-assistance crews helped, along with more than 1,200 contractors sent into affected areas.
NIPSCO said it would release restoration timelines once it had enough damage-assessment information to provide estimates with confidence.
"I just hope that everything gets situated," Lopez said.
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