Northwest Indiana Struggles with Power Outages After Severe Storms
In the aftermath of a powerful storm that hit northwest Indiana on August 11, over 20,000 residents remain without electricity, nearly two weeks later. The storm brought wind gusts reaching up to 100 mph, causing significant damage throughout the region.
Communities such as Gary, Portage, Lake Station, and Munster are still experiencing power outages. According to a report from NIPSCO, the local power company, as of Sunday morning, Gary’s Mayor Eddie Melton noted that approximately 17,000 people were still without electricity. There is an expectation that power will be restored by Tuesday, August 25.
In response to the crisis, Indiana’s Governor Mike Braun has deployed the National Guard to aid in recovery efforts. Additionally, President Trump has sanctioned an emergency declaration, enabling federal support from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to assist in the recovery process.
“Bring in more crews. Put every available resource into the field. Get creative. Get the job done. Hoosiers have waited long enough,” Governor Braun stated on social media, urging NIPSCO to expedite their efforts.
The power outage coincided with an announcement by NiSource Inc., NIPSCO’s parent company, regarding its decision to distribute approximately $140 million in dividends to shareholders. This has drawn criticism from various groups, including civil rights leaders, who highlighted systemic inequities, especially considering Gary’s demographic, which is nearly 80% Black.
Melody Birmingham, the executive vice president of NiSource and president of NiSource’s utilities division, described the storm’s impact as one of “the most extensive and complex” challenges their recovery teams have faced. “When I say complex, these aren’t simple repairs. These are systems that are being rebuilt,” Birmingham said. “These are lines that ordinarily take us—and systems that ordinarily take weeks or months, that we are trying to accomplish in days and or weeks.”
Bernice King, daughter of Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., emphasized the ongoing neglect faced by Black communities. “Black communities have too often been expected to endure conditions that would be treated as intolerable somewhere else,” King noted on social media. “We are expected to survive the neglect, absorb the loss, help ourselves, and wait for urgency to arrive.”
The ACLU’s Indiana branch also expressed concerns about the unequal distribution of aid, stressing the importance of equitable and rapid response in disaster situations. “It’s important that, when a disaster happens, the relief reaches every community quickly and equitably,” they stated on social media.
This article was originally written by www.npr.org
