Tens of thousands of residents in north-west Indiana, USA, are approaching nearly two weeks without electricity after a series of severe storms on 11 August toppled trees and power lines across the region. The Northern Indiana Public Service Company (Nipsco), the area's main utility, said more than 33,000 customers remained without power on Saturday, with some in the city of Gary — where roughly a third of residents live in poverty — told they may wait until Tuesday for restoration. Residents have endured spoiled food, stifling heat and no running water for appliances, while a proposed class-action lawsuit has been filed against Nipsco alleging it failed to adequately trim vegetation near power lines; Indiana's governor has formally requested a federal major disaster declaration to unlock additional recovery resources.