INDIANA — Following a multi-day onslaught of destructive weather across the state, Indiana Governor Mike Braun has declared a state of disaster emergency for 63 of Indiana’s 92 counties.
The declaration comes in response to a volatile weather system that swept through the region between June 6 and June 18, 2026. The severe weather triggered widespread flash flooding, intense lightning, confirmed tornadic activity, and a destructive derecho, a fast-moving, long-lived line of severe thunderstorms that produced widespread straight-line wind damage.
“Many Hoosier communities were impacted by the severe weather that swept through our state this week,” Governor Braun said in an official statement. “This emergency declaration ensures that every available state resource is mobilized quickly to support response efforts, help local governments address urgent needs, and help Hoosiers recover.”
The executive order will remain in effect for 30 days. Its implementation immediately activates state emergency protocols and authorizes the Indiana Department of Homeland Security (IDHS) to open and administer financial aid through the State Disaster Relief Fund (SDRF).
Targeted Aid for Uninsured and Underinsured Hoosiers
Under the newly opened SDRF program, eligible individual applicants and families who sustained storm-related property damage can receive up to $25,000 to cover immediate emergency expenses.
State officials emphasized that the fund is strictly structured as a safety net for individuals who are uninsured or underinsured. By state law, the program cannot act as a replacement for standard private insurance coverage, nor can the funds be used to cover insurance deductibles. Instead, the money is allocated solely to assist in repairing, replacing, or restoring an applicant’s primary residence.
The disaster emergency covers the vast majority of the state, including the hard-hit southern and western counties of Clay, Greene, Knox, Lawrence, Owen, and Vigo, where local travel advisories were issued due to debris and flooded roadways.
A complete list of the 63 counties designated under the declaration includes:
Allen, Bartholomew, Benton, Boone, Brown, Carroll, Cass, Clay, Clinton, Dearborn, Decatur, Delaware, Elkhart, Fountain, Franklin, Fulton, Grant, Greene, Hamilton, Hancock, Harrison, Hendricks, Howard, Huntington, Jackson, Jasper, Jay, Jefferson, Jennings, Johnson, Knox, Kosciusko, LaGrange, Lake, LaPorte, Lawrence, Madison, Marion, Marshall, Miami, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Newton, Ohio, Owen, Parke, Porter, Putnam, Randolph, Ripley, Rush, Shelby, St. Joseph, Steuben, Switzerland, Tippecanoe, Vanderburgh, Vermillion, Vigo, Wabash, Warren, and White.
Ongoing Assessment and Application Process
While the IDHS Individual Assistance program is actively accepting applications, the state is not currently accepting requests for its Public Assistance program, which provides recovery funding directly to local government entities. Local jurisdictions will be notified systematically by the state if public infrastructure funding becomes available.
IDHS assessment teams remain on the ground across multiple counties documenting the exact scope of the structural damage. State officials noted that additional homeowners or entire jurisdictions may qualify for financial aid later as more data is processed.
Storm survivors with eligible primary residence damages can review the guidelines and apply for individual financial relief directly through the Indiana Department of Homeland Security Portal.
