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Gary, Indiana residents face prolonged power outages after deadly storm
A severe derecho storm that struck the US Midwest on August 11 has left thousands of residents in Gary, Indiana, and surrounding communities without electricity for nearly two weeks. The storm, which produced wind gusts of up to 99 mph, resulted in seven deaths across the region.
As of late August, tens of thousands of customers remain without power. While NIPSCO reported restoring service to over 345,000 customers, significant outages persist in Gary, Portage, Lake Station, and Munster. The prolonged blackout has forced local schools to implement delays and has caused significant economic and emotional distress for residents, particularly in the predominantly Black community of Gary.
Indiana Governor Mike Braun has criticized the restoration pace as “inexcusable,” mobilizing the National Guard and state police to assist utility crews. Meanwhile, NIPSCO’s parent company, NiSource, recently announced a $140 million dividend payout to shareholders, adding to local frustration. Restoration efforts have also faced challenges, including reports of gunfire targeting utility vehicles.
Entities
Eddie Melton · Gary · Gary, Indiana · Highland, Indiana · Merrillville, Indiana · Mike Braun · NIPSCO · NiSource · Northern Indiana Public Service Company
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 3 SOURCES] Wind gusts in Gary reached 99mph ghanaguardian.com · www.myjoyonline.com · www.timesnownews.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] Seven people were killed across the Midwest region due to the storms ghanaguardian.com · www.myjoyonline.com · www.timesnownews.com
- [● 9 SOURCES] NiSource announced a $140 million dividend payout to shareholders rnbphilly.com · majicatl.com · zhiphopcleveland.com · hiphopnc.com · hot1009.com · +4 more
- [● 2 SOURCES] More than 370,000 customers lost power srnnews.com · www.newsday.com
- [DISPUTED] Almost 30,000 people remained without electricity ghanaguardian.com · www.myjoyonline.com · www.timesnownews.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] 9,000 people in Gary were still without power as of Sunday justthenews.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Gary schools implemented a two-hour delay for the start of the school year
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Restoration efforts were paused after a utility truck was damaged by gunfire on August 14 www.theblaze.com