Six dead in Indiana as the White River hits its highest recorded level

At least six people have died in Indiana in flooding caused by a week of torrential rain. The White River, which runs through Indianapolis, has reached the highest level ever measured.

The peak came in the early hours of Sunday. Hundreds of homes were evacuated along the river and in the low-lying parts of the state capital. Shelters opened in recent days have stayed in use even after the flood crest passed, because many houses remain uninhabitable.

The heaviest damage is to infrastructure. Several roads and some bridges were badly damaged or swept away by the current. The city's public works department has begun inspecting the structures still standing, work that requires the water to recede completely.

The National Weather Service has not ruled out further heavy rain in the central part of the state, with a risk of flash flooding. Forecasts point to an improvement during the day. The main danger at this stage comes from ground that is already saturated: even moderate rain runs off the surface instead of soaking in, and reaches watercourses within minutes.

Indiana is a flat state crossed by slow-moving rivers that in normal conditions absorb summer rain without difficulty. The events of recent days belong to a series of concentrated rainfall episodes that have recurred with growing frequency across the central United States. Local authorities have asked residents not to return to flooded homes before electrical systems and structures have been checked.