Thousands in Indiana still without power 12 days after severe storms
Twelve days after a destructive storm hit Gary, Indiana, tens of thousands of residents remain without electricity, struggling with food, hygiene and medication problems.
Nearly two weeks after severe storms swept through the US Midwest, tens of thousands of people in Gary, Indiana, remain without power. The storms struck on 11 August, bringing flooding and tornadoes to the region, including Chicago, and killing seven people in Indiana.
Gary, a former industrial city on the southern shore of Lake Michigan, was among the hardest hit, with wind gusts reaching up to 159km/h. Although the most intense part of the storm lasted only five to ten minutes, its effects are still being felt nearly two weeks later.
Among those affected is 77-year-old Terry Dubois, who says she has never experienced a storm like it. She has relied on friends for non-perishable food, while her son gave her a power bank to keep her phone charged.
About a third of Gary's roughly 70,000 residents live in poverty, according to US Census data. Beyond storm damage to homes, residents have struggled to access food, maintain hygiene, and keep medication refrigerated. There have also been reports of a wheelchair user having to crawl down stairs because building lifts were not working.
Some residents, such as Kyle Allen, who is caring for his 95-year-old father, bought generators to cope. Others, like Shatiya Hardin, described sleepless, sweaty nights and worry for children and elderly people who depend on oxygen equipment.
Frustrated residents have filed a class-action lawsuit against utility company Nipsco, accusing it of failing to properly manage trees that brought down power lines during the storm. Nipsco has denied wrongdoing and says it will defend itself in court. On Saturday, local faith leaders held a press conference calling for power to be restored as soon as possible.
