LANESVILLE, Ind. (WDRB) — Some Lanesville residents say they're still waiting for financial help after the southern Indiana town flooded last month.
There's slow progress for some neighbors who can cover the cost of repairs after flash flooding rippled through Lanesville June 9, but little to no progress for others who can't.
"Overwhelming, to say the least. Kind of a loss for words with it," said Dylan McRae.
Disbelief still floods McRae's mind after his basement filled with more than seven feet of water last month.
"I didn't come to the back of the house until probably three or four hours after it happened, because they had told me what happened and I didn't want to see it," he said.
Floodwaters yanked bricks right from under the foundation of McRae's home while he and his fiancé were inside.
"(I) turned the electrical panel off and go out of the house, thankfully before the basement collapsed, so that's a good thing," he said.
McRae hasn't lived in his home since. He and several other Lanesville homeowners are looking at hundreds of thousands of dollars of out-of-pocket repair costs.
"Insurance isn't covering anything," he said. "They say this was an act of God, and we were not in a flood plane because this has never flooded like it had on June 9."
On Thursday, Indiana Gov. Mike Braun announced the state Department of Homeland Security and Federal Emergency Management Agency are starting to conduct damage assessments, but said there's no guarantee that financial assistance will be released.
Some damage remained Friday, July 17, 2026, more than a month after floodwaters rippled through the town of Lanesville, Indiana. (WDRB photo)
"We're looking at hundreds of thousands of dollars, probably," Lanesville Community Schools Superintendent Ryan Apple said. "The track will need to be completely replaced, it was rolled up on the creek, that will all need to go. Fencing on both will need to go, we'll probably have to have irrigation replaced on both the baseball field and the soccer field."
The day after the flooding, Apple said the school district would delay other projects to cover the cost to fix the track and fields that were ripped up by flooding. Progress is slow, but some damaged fencing was already removed.
"Please help us," McRae said. "Please help the town."
McRae said getting financial assistance from state and federal departments may be the only hope for him and many other homeowners.
"Right now, we're just at a total loss," he said.
The Heritage Committee is having a fundraiser for people directly impacted by the flash flooding on July 31 and Aug. 1 at Lanesville Heritage Grounds, 2800 Memory Lane NE. All donations and proceeds will go to flood victims. Donations will be accepted at the door. There will be food, raffles, play areas for kids and an auction.Â
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