HAMMOND — Heavy rainfall Sunday morning led to dangerous flooding conditions on westbound & eastbound I-80/94 near the Kennedy Avenue exit, causing multiple crashes and prompting warnings from Indiana State Police.

According to Indiana State Police-Lowell Post Sgt. Glen Fifield, standing water developed in the westbound lanes near the Kennedy Avenue interchange. The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) was notified and initially dispatched a crew around 3:30 a.m., but water remained on the roadway for several hours despite mitigation efforts and left.

Troopers positioned patrol vehicles with emergency lights activated ahead of the flooded area in an attempt to warn approaching motorists of the hazard. However, crashes continued to occur as drivers encountered the water-covered lanes.

Photos shared by state police show vehicles with damage consistent with crash-related incidents in the flooded stretch of interstate. Traffic cameras also captured significant pooling of water across portions of the roadway, creating hazardous travel conditions during the early morning hours.

Region News Source received information that Little Calumet River Officials alerted INDOT that their pumping station was offline Thursday and flashing at the corner of 179th & Kennedy. It could be as simple as turning the stations back on after a power outage but nobody from INDOT replied or has been out. Since then the water has continued to rise.

Motorists traveling through the area were urged to slow down, increase following distance, and avoid driving through standing water whenever possible. Flooded roadways can hide pavement damage and cause drivers to lose control of their vehicles, especially at highway speeds.

No serious injuries were immediately reported, but officials continued monitoring the area as additional crews responded to address the flooding concerns.

Drivers are encouraged to check road conditions before traveling and use caution as periods of heavy rain continue across Northwest Indiana. Expect major traffic delays on 80/94.

Update – Hammond Sanitary and Little Calumet River Officials have reactivated the pumps since INDOT has not been back to bring the flooding down since 4 AM.