12 Days of Darkness: Indiana's Power Crisis After Storm

Sun Sep 06 2026 03:37:26 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Thousands in Indiana remain without electricity 12 days after extreme storms, as communities cope with food shortages and new power outages.

After a devastating August storm that ripped through Indiana and Chicago, thousands of residents in the city of Gary have endured over 12 days of power outages. With 30,000 households still offline and essential services shut down, community members have turned to generators, charity aid, and grassroots action. The ordeal has highlighted shortcomings in utility management, sparked lawsuits, and drawn federal attention amid growing concerns about climate‑driven extreme weather.

Anthony Lewis repairs a generator at his home while coping without electricity

12 Days of Darkness

Terry Dubois, 77, still does not have electricity even two weeks after a damaging storm left Gary and a swath of Indiana without power.

She relies on her neighbors for non‑perishable food and a power bank that her son brought her to keep her phone charged.

When the storm hit, supermarkets and pharmacies lost power, forcing residents to stock what they could before the outage spread.

During the second week, the food charity World Central Kitchen installed kitchens to feed those cut off from grocery stores.

The storm that struck on 11 August brought wind gusts up to 99 mph and dealt a searing blow to the region in fifteen minutes of explosive force.

Scientists say the climate is making such extreme weather more frequent and intense.

Residents have sued the utility company, claiming that poorly maintained trees damaged power lines during the storm.

The governor has urged the federal government to declare a major disaster, unlocking further aid for the over 30,000 people still out of power.

Community leaders have called on local officials to accelerate relief efforts, as families must live without electricity for what now is an extended period.