{
  "id": 2599048,
  "title": "Indiana residents endure 11th day without power after storms topple power lines",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/22/indiana-residents-endure-11th-day-without-power-after-storms-topple",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-22T15:08:38.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Guardian US",
    "slug": "the-guardian-us",
    "url": "https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/aug/22/indiana-residents-11th-day-without-power"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "On the 11th day without electricity, residents of north-west Indiana remain in the dark following a series of storms that swept through the state in August. According to the Northern Indiana Public Service Company (Nipsco), 33,124 customers in the region are still without power, many of whom have been affected by food lines, closed businesses, dead phones, schools closed, spoiled food, dirty clothes, and damaged gas pumps. The utility company claims it has managed to restore power to 341,376 customers since the storms began.\n\nResidents in the city of Gary are particularly frustrated, as they may not see any restoration until Tuesday, two weeks after the storms started. Bridget Sanders, a local resident, has called Nipsco's response \"ridiculous\" and claims they are being treated unfairly compared to other areas. In response to the situation, residents have filed a proposed class-action lawsuit against Nipsco, alleging that the company failed to trim trees that brought down power lines. The company denies these allegations, stating they have a robust vegetation management program. Nipsco has also suspended disconnections for customers struggling to pay their bills.\n\nThe storms caused widespread damage, including the destruction of about 300 power poles. Residents in the hardest-hit Aetna neighborhood of Gary report downed trees still lining their streets. Cynthia Hunter, a Gary resident, described the challenges of maintaining safety and charging electronics in the absence of power. Renita Theus, another resident, expressed her emotional distress, citing the heat in her home, lack of candles and batteries, and the struggle to keep her car out of harm's way. The storms also caused significant flooding and tornadoes in the Chicago area and northern Indiana, resulting in multiple fatalities.\n\nIndiana Governor Mike Braun has requested an expedited major disaster declaration from FEMA, citing at least three confirmed tornadoes, flash flooding, and extreme winds. The National Weather Service recorded straight-line winds of 99mph (160km/h) in Gary. Governor Braun hopes that a major disaster declaration will bring additional resources to help Indiana recover from the severe weather.",
  "summary": "33,124 residents still in the dark as utility company says it is working to restore power in north-west of state Thousands of residents of north-west Indiana on Saturday were headed for their 11th day without electric power after storms swept through the state, toppling trees and power lines, earlier in August. The powerless conditions have led to food lines, closed businesses, dead phones, no…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}