Putnam one of 34 counties designated emergency areas

INDIANAPOLIS -- Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels has issued a disaster emergency for 34 counties, including Putnam County, due to severe weather that has caused widespread damage to homes, businesses and public property beginning April 18 and continuing.

Counties experienced flooding, damaged roads, downed power lines and other severe damage.

The governor signed Executive Order 11-06 to include Benton, Clark, Clay, Crawford, Daviess, Dearborn, DuBois, Floyd, Franklin, Gibson, Harrison, Jackson, Jefferson, Jennings, Knox, Lawrence, Martin, Monroe, Ohio, Orange, Parke, Perry, Pike, Posey, Putnam, Ripley, Scott, Spencer, Starke, Sullivan, Switzerland, Vanderburgh, Warrick and Washington counties.

The declaration of disaster emergency was effective beginning May 18 and will continue for 30 days.

Currently, the 34 listed counties appear to be the most severely impacted by the current weather-caused emergency, the governor's office said. However, as additional requests come to the state Emergency Operations Center, the disaster declaration may be expanded to include more counties.

The disaster declaration means the Indiana Department of Homeland Security can take actions needed to provide expanded emergency services and is a step needed to request assistance from the federal government, if warranted.