Thousands of Gary residents remained without power Monday after last week’s storms wreaked havoc on northwest Indiana.
While Monday was the first day without rain in over a week, several downed trees still littered Gary’s streets. Most stoplights were out. Several crews worked on power lines and residents cleaned outside their homes and in their yards.
Kimberly Guajardo, who has lived in Gary for over 20 years, said she and her husband have been without power since Aug. 11. Several large trees on their property were knocked over or were missing large branches. They had sheltered in their basement during the worst of the storm with their daughter and three grandchildren.
“We’re alive and we have a home,” said Guajardo, standing among the debris in her front yard. “I know a lot of people that have lost their entire homes. I’ve got loved ones that their houses had to be demolished. They lost everything they had.”
Their generator wasn’t working, but they said they were grateful to have running water.
Several Gary residents, including Guajardo’s sister, use well water, which requires power to pump water through a home’s pipes. Her sister has come by each day to collect water in plastic jugs. Guajardo has a solar-powered battery to charge her phone and coolers to keep their food fresh. They use candles to light their home.
“We’re living in the 1700s but we’re making it work,” she said.
Last week’s weather was some of the worst she’s experienced in Gary. And people are handling the devastation from the storms differently, she said. Some are lending a helping hand to their neighbors, while others are arguing on Facebook or getting in fights in long lines at gas stations.
“We just have to come together as a community and try to help each other the best we can and get through this best we can,” said Guajardo, who was born in Chicago and grew up in Alabama. “Right now is not the time to argue. It’s the time to come together and get things done.”
As of Monday afternoon, over 100,000 Indiana residents were still without power, according to the state’s utility company NIPSCO. More than 300,000 people lost electricity because of the storm.
The utility — which says the widespread power outage was one of the largest in its history — reported that 90% of residents should have their power back by Tuesday and the rest should by Friday. Gary is among the cities most impacted by the power outage.
At least seven people across Indiana were killed during the storms, according to the Associated Press.
Down the street from Guajardo, Earl Betts picked up a gas can from his friend. He also was still without power, but he has a gas-powered generator to keep the lights on and watch a little TV at night. He sheltered from the storm in his friend’s basement. When he tried to go home later, most streets were blocked by trees and had significant flooding.
“I’m working it out. I’m still eating, still got water and a roof over my head,” said Betts, 60. “At a time like this, I look at it as a sign for people to kind of humble themselves and try to come together.”
Betts and Guajardo were both unsure when their power would return. They hoped it would be on before Gary is expected to be hit again with rain later this week.
