Tornadoes Cause Damage In Several Indiana Communities, Hundreds Without Power

National Weather Service officials are surveying the damage from Saturday’s severe weather. They believe tornadoes may have touched down in Beech Grove, Ellettsville, Freedom and Ridgeport. 

Monroe County Emergency Management is reporting about 30 homes are damaged in the county, but so far no injuries have been reported. Ellettsville resident Sue Stolz says she was inside her home when the tornado hit — both her home and barn are severely damaged.

“Honestly, I’m more concentrating on what I have. I’m just thankful to be alive and my critters are good and people weren’t hurt,” she says.

Ellettsville resident Chris Hostetler was at his grandmother’s house cleaning up the aftermath. He says the tornado damaged her breezeway, the garage, boats, sheds, and the porch.

“She didn’t even know it hit until she looked and seen the porch railing on the house. So other than that she’s fine, just shook up,” he says.

As of Sunday afternoon, there were more than 800 Duke Energy customers without power in the southern half of the state.

The storms also triggered record daily rainfall in Indianapolis at 3.85 inches — more than twice as much rain as the previous record held in 1875.

The Monroe County EMA advises residents to be careful driving due to flooding and trees down in the area. Right now, there are no shelters open for the disaster, but two are on stand-by.

Residents who need shelter can call the Monroe County EMA at 812-349-2546 or the Red Cross at 812-332-7292.

Indiana Environmental reporting is supported by the Environmental Resilience Institute, an Indiana University Grand Challenge project developing Indiana-specific projections and informed responses to problems of environmental change.