TL;DR: More than 125,000 people in northwest Indiana remained without power on Sunday, August 16, 2026, on the sixth day after Tuesday's derecho, according to NBC Chicago.

How long outages lasted and where they hit

More than 125,000 people remained without power across northwest Indiana on Sunday as outages stretched into a sixth day following Tuesday's derecho, according to NBC Chicago.

The storm that started the outage struck on Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2026, and damage continued through additional storms on Wednesday and Thursday that created new outages, according to CBS Chicago.

Tuesday's storm packed wind gusts of 99 miles per hour, a force described as as strong as an EF1 tornado, according to CBS Chicago.

Nearly 175,000 homes and businesses in Northwest Indiana remained without power on Friday night, days after the severe storms caused widespread damage, according to CBS Chicago.

By Sunday afternoon, nearly 150,000 customers were still without power in northwest Indiana, according to ABC7 Chicago.

The state was hit with historic rainfall and several rivers burst their banks during the same weather sequence, according to ABC7 Chicago.

At least seven storm-related deaths had been reported across Indiana as of Sunday, according to ABC7 Chicago.

Three of the Indiana storm-related deaths were in the Chicago area, in Lake, Porter and LaPorte counties, and the others were in other parts of the state, according to ABC7 Chicago.

What Dyer leaders reported on Sunday

Downed power lines and homes left in the dark were a sight across some communities in Dyer, according to NBC Chicago.

Leaders in Dyer, Indiana, and Munster, Indiana, said NIPSCO is not doing its part to get the lights back on, according to NBC Chicago.

Town Council President Robert Starkey said just over 50% of the town's population was still without power days after the storm, according to NBC Chicago.

Starkey said conditions in town had reached a boiling point after days without electricity, according to NBC Chicago.

One Dyer resident who walks in the area almost every day said downed poles appeared to be something a utility would address right away, according to NBC Chicago.

On Sunday night, there was still no concrete update for Dyer on when service would return, according to NBC Chicago.

Starkey said the town had increased patrols and increased wellness checks because of concern for residents, according to NBC Chicago.

He described the immediate concern as the welfare of citizens during the extended outage, according to NBC Chicago.

How Gary and Miller Beach coped without electricity

In the Miller Beach community in Gary, businesses were still in the dark on Friday, according to CBS Chicago.

Traffic lights in the area had become four-way stops, while downed trees and branches lined Hemlock Avenue, according to CBS Chicago.

More than 34,000 NIPSCO customers in Gary were still without power despite nonstop cleanup since Tuesday, according to CBS Chicago.

Miller Beach resident Angelo Comer described Tuesday's storm as "23 minutes of hell," according to CBS Chicago.

Comer said sirens sounded as objects flew and struck houses, according to CBS Chicago.

Downed power lines were visible throughout the community on Friday, according to CBS Chicago.

Resident Corya Channing said a generator powered part of the house and coolers with ice preserved some supplies after a drive to Michigan City for fresh food, according to CBS Chicago.

Comer filled two garbage bags with food from a freezer and placed them in a dumpster in front of a home after losing power, according to CBS Chicago.

Comer said even the community food bank was out of power at the time, according to CBS Chicago.

Channing said earlier outages had occurred two or three times during the summer, but the current event was much more serious, according to CBS Chicago.

Critical buildings ran on backup power

Homes were not the only buildings running on generators in the Dyer area, according to NBC Chicago.

Police departments, fire stations, lift stations and wastewater treatment facilities were all running on backup generators, according to NBC Chicago.

One resident said the first loss was food in the refrigerator, followed by sump pumps stopping, basements flooding, and mold and air concerns, according to NBC Chicago.

In Gary, Channing relied on a generator that worked on part of a house, according to CBS Chicago.

In East Chicago, power was still out Friday at the East Chicago Church and across the rest of the block, according to CBS Chicago.

Pastor Manuel Corazzari served burgers and provided a gathering place for neighbors despite the darkened building, according to CBS Chicago.

Organizer Tamye Diaferio said neighbors powered up together when the power went out, according to CBS Chicago.

Children received back-to-school supplies at the gathering while families sought charged electronics and food, according to CBS Chicago.

Alexandra Martinez said the event gave children food and time outside the house after the family had to throw a lot of food out, according to CBS Chicago.

East Chicago resident Jennifer Fodor said the outage was especially difficult because of a daughter's medical issues and the family's wait for food and stability, according to CBS Chicago.

What NIPSCO told customers about repairs

NIPSCO said restoration is dictated by the severity and extent of the damage, according to NBC Chicago.

The utility said repairs to major transmission and distribution infrastructure must be completed in some areas before work can begin on smaller sections serving individual neighborhoods, according to NBC Chicago.

NIPSCO said approximately 90% of power was expected to be restored by 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday while complete restoration was expected by 11:59 p.m. on Friday, according to NBC Chicago.

NIPSCO separately said power should be restored to 90% of those impacted by the storms by Tuesday and 100% of customers should have power restored by next Friday, according to CBS Chicago.

The company said additional storms on Wednesday and Thursday created new outages, causing additional damage and slowing restoration work already underway, according to CBS Chicago.

Starkey said he wanted a clear answer on restoration timing, according to NBC Chicago.

When asked about communication with NIPSCO's top leadership, Starkey answered "Nonexistent," according to NBC Chicago.

A homeowner in Crown Point, Indiana, said a dangerous power line was left hanging in standing water for days since the severe storms, according to ABC7 Chicago.

That homeowner, Dinno Jahovic, said the hazard on Wells Street was first reported to NIPSCO on Tuesday with additional calls Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, according to ABC7 Chicago.

Federal and state emergency actions

Indiana Governor Mike Braun declared a statewide disaster emergency Friday, according to ABC7 Chicago.

On Saturday, President Donald Trump approved the governor's request for a Presidential Emergency Declaration, according to ABC7 Chicago.

Saturday evening, FEMA announced federal disaster assistance is available to the state of Indiana to supplement state, tribal and local response efforts due to emergency conditions from severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding beginning on August 11, 2026, and continuing, according to ABC7 Chicago.

Less than a week after tornadoes and severe weather tore through suburbs, leaders and residents gathered in Lansing, Illinois, to call for federal assistance, according to ABC7 Chicago.

Lansing Mayor Brian Hardy said destruction was visible on every block, according to ABC7 Chicago.

Hardy said residents faced damaged homes, infrastructure and extensive debris after multiple rounds of severe weather, according to ABC7 Chicago.

Hardy described trees and homes uprooted and damage to sidewalks, streets, curbs and infrastructure, according to ABC7 Chicago.

His message to federal officials was "We need help," according to ABC7 Chicago.

Lansing resident Lisa Sullivan said additional resources were urgently needed and asked supporters across political affiliations to support the community, according to ABC7 Chicago.

In Flossmoor, Mayor Michelle Nelson said progress was incredibly slow because damage was extensive and vegetation was dense, according to ABC7 Chicago.

Cook County Commissioner Donna Miller said disaster aid should not be treated as a political issue, according to ABC7 Chicago.

U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly, who represents Illinois' 2nd Congressional District and said she was personally affected, echoed calls for help without regard to state or voting patterns, according to ABC7 Chicago.

In Lynwood, the village hosted a food truck event offering free meals to residents affected by the storms, according to ABC7 Chicago.

Mayor Jada Curry said most residents had never seen anything like the week's events and the village wanted neighbors to know they were supported, according to ABC7 Chicago.

Bills, lawsuits and public frustration

Comer said outages had come with what she described as extraordinary rate increases, according to CBS Chicago.

Comer said a February bill was $785.00 and that NIPSCO carries electricity and gas service, according to CBS Chicago.

Gary City Councilman At-Large Darren Washington said the Gary Common Council unanimously passed a resolution putting NIPSCO on notice about what members see as excessive rates, according to CBS Chicago.

Washington said NIPSCO should have competition and called extended restoration timelines unacceptable for ratepayers, according to CBS Chicago.

Attorneys for a 77-year-old Porter County woman filed a lawsuit against NIPSCO claiming emergency hip surgery was delayed because of the power outage, according to CBS Chicago.

The lawsuit accuses the utility of failing to properly clear trees and brush away from power lines, contributing to the outages, according to CBS Chicago.

Attorney Ken Allen said money that should have been spent on vegetation management had instead been treated as excess profit, according to CBS Chicago.

NIPSCO said it was aware of the lawsuit, that safety and reliability are fundamental to operations, that its immediate focus remained restoring service safely and quickly, and that it would address specific allegations through the legal process, according to CBS Chicago.

Sources referenced