LOOGOOTEE, Ind. — Severe thunderstorms have triggered widespread flash flooding and significant utility disruptions across parts of southwest Indiana, including right in our area in Martin and Daviess counties, forcing local officials to urge residents to stay off submerged roadways.
The National Weather Service has issued a Flash Flood Warning for Daviess and Martin counties, which remains in effect until this morning at 5:00 A.M. EDT. Martin County emergency management personnel are tracking rapidly rising waters after radar indicated torrential rainfall amounts accumulating across the region within a short window.
Emergency radio traffic reports heavy rainfall has overwhelmed local infrastructure. A significant part of U.S. Highway 150 is fully submerged, blocking travel in parts of the county. There has also been a crash, and several roads in Loogootee, including at the CVS Pharmacy, are flooded with stormwater. Emergency dispatchers have also observed multiple downed power lines entangled in debris, creating dangerous conditions for motorists.
Facebook users and community pages quickly filled with eyewitness accounts and cell phone photos from residents showing water creeping up driveways and videos show some city streets, stores, and apartment complexes submerged. On social media, community members reported rushing water near major intersections and warned neighbors to turn around.
In response to the deteriorating conditions, the City of Loogootee issued an official statement via municipal channels. City leaders are urging everyone to avoid flooded areas entirely. Officials emphasized that staying off the streets is vital to allowing emergency responders, utility crews, and debris-clearance teams to safely mitigate the high waters, clear roadways, and work toward restoring power to affected neighborhoods.
The severe weather has taken a heavy toll on the local electrical grid. According to the Duke Energy outage map, hundreds of residents in the region are currently in the dark as crews struggle to reach damaged equipment amid high water.
The hardest-hit area is nearby Shoals, where 466 people are currently without electricity. Outages are also heavily concentrated in rural pockets of Martin County. Utility data shows that 36 residents are without power near Brickyard Road, while an additional 16 people are experiencing outages along State Road 550.
As of this report at 1:30 a.m., this number has dropped in Shoals from 466 residents without power to 457 residents left without power. In Loogootee, 52 residents are without power tonight.
In total, there are 514 outages in the Loogootee, Ind. area, with a state total of 5,926 customers without power at this time.
Duke Energy has not yet released a definitive restoration time, as deep standing water and continuous rainfall complicate repair efforts.
With the Flash Flood Warning extended into tomorrow morning, emergency personnel reiterate the standard safety directive to stay safe and be cautious when driving tonight and heading into the workday. Most flash-flood fatalities occur in vehicles when drivers underestimate the depth or velocity of moving water.
Authorities advise residents to monitor local weather radio, keep emergency devices charged, and avoid some traveling unless absolutely necessary until the warning expires at 5:00 A.M. EDT.
