Severe storms on August 11 left thousands in Indiana without power, with some still reeling from the effects 12 days later; Gary, a former industrial hub along Lake Michigan, was hit particularly hard, with wind gusts reaching 99 mph according to the National Weather Service. The town’s residents are now facing extended outages, food shortages, and limited access to basic necessities.

Storm Damage and Ongoing Struggles

“I’ve never seen a storm like that in my entire life. Never, never,” one resident told the BBC. “It was like a sheer wall of wind,” she recalled. The storm caused widespread damage, killing seven people and leaving many without shelter, food, or medication refrigeration. Gary, which once housed the world’s largest steel mill, now has one-third of its 70,000 residents living in poverty, according to US Census data. The outages have also led to reports of a wheelchair user crawling down stairs due to non-functioning elevators.

Residents have had to rely on limited resources in the first few days of the outage. Petrol stations, supermarkets, and pharmacies were without power, forcing many to ration supplies. As the crisis stretched into a second week, global food charity World Central Kitchen arrived to assist with food distribution.

External Aid and Restoration Efforts

On Saturday, ComEd, Illinois’ main electricity provider, deployed over 60 workers to assist Nipsco with restoration efforts in northwest Indiana. The move was part of an effort to accelerate power restoration, as more than 30,000 customers remained without electricity. Gary and Portage were among the hardest-hit areas. The Chicago Bears also contributed to relief efforts by providing support on the ground.

Yvonya Randle, a Gary resident who is pregnant and past her due date, shared how the outage has added to her stress. “I actually made 40 weeks last Monday. We just passed Monday and I’ve been trying to keep chill and not go into labor because nobody wants to bring a newborn home with no power and stuff,” Randle said. Many residents gathered at First Baptist Church of Gary on Saturday for hot meals and other assistance, with Nicole Guns, the senior pastor, noting the “desperation” she witnessed.

Impact on Daily Life

While 345,000 customers have had power restored, the remaining outages continue to disrupt daily life. Power outages are common in the region, but those lasting over a week are rare. The lack of electricity has made it difficult for residents to maintain hygiene, store medication, and access food. The situation has highlighted the vulnerability of communities with limited resources and infrastructure.

As of Sunday morning, Nipsco reported that almost 30,000 customers were still without electricity. While additional crews are expected to remain in the area for several days, the full restoration timeline remains uncertain. In the meantime, residents continue to rely on community and charity efforts to get by.