August 25, 2016

Kokomo Residents Survey Damage Following EF3 Tornado

A tornado touched down near Imperial Dive in Kokomo, causing damage to trees and property nearby. - Annie Ropeik/Indiana Public Broadcasting

A tornado touched down near Imperial Dive in Kokomo, causing damage to trees and property nearby.

Annie Ropeik/Indiana Public Broadcasting

KOKOMO, Ind. -- Kokomo residents are surveying the damage after an EF3 tornado passed through the area Wednesday.

Police say about a dozen people were injured but no one was killed. The 165 mile-per-hour winds damaged and even destroyed some homes.

Gavin Fausett is in the 7th grade and was heading home on a school bus when one of the first storms hit.

“We stopped at this church,” Gavin said. “I don’t remember what it was called, but we all ran inside and asked if we could stay there as a shelter.”

By the time he got home, there was another storm on its way and headed for his neighborhood. Gavin’s dad, Thomas Fausett said they took shelter in a closet and prayed.

“As soon as we started to pray and we heard the noise and the ground started shaking, sounded like a freight train coming through,” Fausett said, “and no sooner than it come through it was gone.”

The tornado took out the family’s patio furniture and several branches. A piece of debris also left a large hole in their garage.

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