Communities in southeast Indiana impacted as flooding continues along Ohio River

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LINDSAY, THANKS FOR THE PERSPECTIVE. YOU KNOW, MANY COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT INDIANA ARE UNDERWATER AS WELL, INCLUDING OUT IN AURORA. THE MAYOR SAYS IN UPWARDS OF 100 FAMILIES IN AURORA ALONE ARE BEING IMPACTED BY THE FLOODWATERS. SO THE ALL VOLUNTEER DEARBORN COUNTY SWIFT WATER TEAM, THEY CONDUCTED NUMEROUS RESCUE MISSIONS AND WLWT NEWS FIVE’S DANIELLE DINDAK. SHE TAGGED ALONG IN ONE OF THE BOATS TO GET A FIRSTHAND LOOK AT THE PROBLEM AREAS. THE BEST WAY TO GET THROUGH DOWNTOWN AURORA RIGHT NOW IS BY BOAT. SO TODAY WE TAGGED ALONG WITH THE DEARBORN COUNTY WATER RESCUE TEAM. THEY GAVE US AN IN-DEPTH LOOK AT THE DAMAGE. IT’S BEEN A LITTLE CRAZY CRUISING THROUGH THE STREETS OF AURORA. MONDAY’S COMMUTE A BIT WATERY. WE’RE IN ABOUT EIGHT EIGHT ISH FEET OF WATER AT THIS POINT DOWN HERE. OUT THAT WAY. THE. THE CURRENT IS ACTUALLY STARTING TO REALLY KICK UP, SO WE DON’T GO TOO FAR OUT. IT’S JUST TOO FAST. THE ONLY WAY THROUGH IS TO PADDLE IN AROUND HERE. MANY BUSINESSES, HOMES AND APARTMENTS ARE UP TO THEIR WINDOWS, FEET DEEP IN PROBLEMS. BUT BEFORE THE WATER CREPT IN, WE HAD OVER 90 VOLUNTEERS. SATURDAY, JUST FILLING 6000 SANDBAGS. PEOPLE WERE PREPARED, BUT YOU’RE STILL GOING TO HAVE SOME WATER DAMAGE. IT’S GOING TO BE DEVASTATING TO SOME AND OTHERS NOT SO MUCH. A LOT OF THESE BUILDINGS ARE PREPARED FOR FLOODS BECAUSE IT IS A RIVER CITY. THE FLOOD YET TO REVEAL THE EXTENT OF THE DAMAGE, MAYOR PATRICK SCHWING ESTIMATES AT LEAST 100 FAMILIES HAVE BEEN IMPACTED. A LOT OF THEM ARE STAYING WITH FAMILIES AND FRIENDS. THE THE COUNTY HAS A PLACE SET UP DOWN AT THE CHURCH. THE LIFE CENTER, AND SOME ARE IN HOTELS. THE CURRENT CONDITIONS IN NAVIGATING FIRST RESPONDERS TO A SENSE OF URGENCY, A VEHICLE INTO THE WATER. THEY DROVE AROUND, MULTIPLE ROAD CLOSED SIGNS AND WATER SIGNS. WE HAD A COUPLE EVACUATIONS THAT WE DID WHERE WE ACTUALLY HAD TO GO OFF THE SIDE OF 74. LIEUTENANT REBECCA MINGUS WITH THE DEARBORN COUNTY SWIFT WATER RESCUE TEAM, WARNS OTHERS TO TREAD CAREFULLY THE WATERS INTO THE SEWER SYSTEM. AT THIS POINT, THERE’S GARBAGE. THERE’S SO MUCH TOP LOAD AND DEBRIS IN THE WATER, BUT THERE’S NO TELLING THE FULL SCOPE OF THE DAMAGE UNTIL THE WATER GOES DOWN. AND THAT’S WHEN THE CLEANUP WILL BEGIN. IN A

Updated: 5:44 PM EDT Apr 7, 2025

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Communities in southeast Indiana impacted as flooding continues along Ohio River

Updated: 5:44 PM EDT Apr 7, 2025

Editorial Standards ⓘ

Many communities throughout Indiana are dealing with flooding, including Aurora. According to Mayor Patrick Schwing, the flood impacted upward of 100 families. First responders have been working around the clock to keep residents safe. The all-volunteer Dearborn County Swift Water team conducted numerous rescue missions over the last few days. "We had one vehicle in the water. The driver drove around multiple roads closed and water signs," Lt. Rebecca Minges said. "It was a sedan, and water was up to the windows. He shouldn't have gone that way, but he did get out on his own before we got there, but that's not always the case. We also had a couple of evacuations."On Monday, a large part of Aurora's downtown area was submerged, with many roads blocked and impassable. The only way for first responders to get through was by boat.Flood water surrounded homes, businesses, and cars. In many locations, water reached up to the windows or higher."Thankfully, we knew about the weather advance, and people were prepared, but there's still some water damage," Schwing said. "It will be devastating to some but not so much to others."Some streets downtown, including the Judiciary, are under 8 feet of water, and first responders explained that the current is still moving fast. Before the flood crept in over the weekend, the town braced itself and prepared volunteers, including Dearborn County high school students, flooded the community to help."We had over 90 volunteers on Saturday filling 6,000 sandbags," Schwing said. The water has yet to recede to reveal the extent of the damage. Schwing estimates at least 100 families have been impacted."A lot of them are staying with families and friends; the county has a place set up down at the Church Life Center, and some are in hotels," Schwing said.With the flood water still up, Minges warns people to treat carefully and stay out. "The water is into the sewer system at this point, and there's garbage mixed in," Minges said. "There's so much top load and debris in the water."

AURORA, Ind. —

Many communities throughout Indiana are dealing with flooding, including Aurora.

According to Mayor Patrick Schwing, the flood impacted upward of 100 families.

First responders have been working around the clock to keep residents safe. The all-volunteer Dearborn County Swift Water team conducted numerous rescue missions over the last few days.

"We had one vehicle in the water. The driver drove around multiple roads closed and water signs," Lt. Rebecca Minges said. "It was a sedan, and water was up to the windows. He shouldn't have gone that way, but he did get out on his own before we got there, but that's not always the case. We also had a couple of evacuations."

On Monday, a large part of Aurora's downtown area was submerged, with many roads blocked and impassable. The only way for first responders to get through was by boat.

Flood water surrounded homes, businesses, and cars. In many locations, water reached up to the windows or higher.

"Thankfully, we knew about the weather advance, and people were prepared, but there's still some water damage," Schwing said. "It will be devastating to some but not so much to others."

Some streets downtown, including the Judiciary, are under 8 feet of water, and first responders explained that the current is still moving fast.

Before the flood crept in over the weekend, the town braced itself and prepared volunteers, including Dearborn County high school students, flooded the community to help.

"We had over 90 volunteers on Saturday filling 6,000 sandbags," Schwing said.

The water has yet to recede to reveal the extent of the damage. Schwing estimates at least 100 families have been impacted.

"A lot of them are staying with families and friends; the county has a place set up down at the Church Life Center, and some are in hotels," Schwing said.

With the flood water still up, Minges warns people to treat carefully and stay out.

"The water is into the sewer system at this point, and there's garbage mixed in," Minges said. "There's so much top load and debris in the water."

Communities in southeast Indiana impacted as flooding continues along Ohio River

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