Hundreds of Ind. Homes Hit by Flooding

EAST CHICAGO, Ind. – Hundreds of homes in northwestern Indiana county were swamped by rising floodwaters after a storm dumped up to 5 inches of rain within a few hours, a county official said Thursday.

At least 1,000 homes in Lake County, including more than 800 in East Chicago, were hit. Jeff Miller, a spokesman for the Lake County Emergency Management Agency, said the flooding was concentrated in the northern third of the county. No injuries were reported.

“Some areas were totally evacuated because the water was so high,” he said.

Gov. Mitch Daniels declared a state of emergency for Lake County.

The water rose so quickly Wednesday that some residents were trapped in their homes and officials had to use boats to evacuate students from an elementary school in Highland.

Flood warnings from the National Weather Service remained in effect Thursday for the Little Calumet River and several small streams.