Effects of Hurricane Ike in Inland North America - Illinois and Indiana

Illinois and Indiana

Much of Illinois suffered significant flooding. The hardest hit rivers were the DuPage, Des Plaines and Chicago Rivers. Many volunteers were called in to fill sandbags in an attempt to hold back the rising rivers. Dozens of people had to be rescued by boat. The corn and soybean crops were also threatened in many areas as a result of the heavy rainfall. In Riverside, several neighborhoods and much of the local forest preserve area were submerged in up to 2 to 4 feet of rapidly flowing water by the swollen Des Plaines River. A state of emergency was declared in Chicago and Cook County as a result of the floodwaters. That was later extended statewide by Governor Rod Blagojevich. About 49,000 customers lost power in Illinois.

The northwestern part of Indiana was hard hit by flooding, which was partially related to the frontal boundary and partially related to Ike. One of the hardest-hit communities was Munster, where 5,000 residents had to be evacuated as a result of the Little Calumet River overflowing in many spots and breaking through the levee near the Calumet Avenue bridge. Several people had to be rescued by boat and there was a garage fire and a massive house explosion in the flooded area that leveled one house and damaged others. Parts of Interstates 80 and 94 were closed due to flooding, slowing traffic greatly in the region.

In Indiana, about 350,000 customers lost power statewide, mostly in the southern part. The fields of southern Indiana were heavily impacted, and a spokesman the state's Natural Resource Conservation Service described the situation as a "severe crop loss" and the "worst wind damage I have ever seen". A state of emergency was later declared by Governor Mitch Daniels.

Seven deaths were reported in Indiana. Two deaths took place in Chesterton as a result of flooding, and five deaths due to fallen trees in other parts of Indiana - two in Clark County and one each in Crawford, Perry and Ohio Counties. Two deaths were reported in Illinois, both of which were drownings.