Strong storms ripped through three Midwestern states Thursday, spawning a tornado in northwest Ohio and damaging dozens of homes in eastern Indiana.
In Indiana, the cities of Winchester and Selma were hit the hardest. A tornado hit a trailer park in Winchester, local officials said 13 WTHR, an NBC News affiliate, and a pastor said his church was vandalized. Meteorologists say they are working to confirm a tornado hit there.
“Radar data and reports from spotters and local officials are highly suggestive of a tornado,” Joseph Nield, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Indianapolis, said Thursday.
He added that a meteorological team would visit Winchester on Friday morning to assess the situation.
Andy Price, pastor of Cornerstone Baptist Church in downtown Winchester, said his church doesn't have much left. The roof is gone, the church's maintenance shed is gone, and he said he hopes the morning light will reveal more damage.
Almost half of all structures were damaged in Selma, Indiana, to the west, although only minor injuries were reported. Report From the Delaware County Emergency Management Agency.
In southeastern Indiana, in Jefferson County, officials reported extensive damage, Indiana State Police Sgt Stephen Wheeles said on social media. “A tornado is reported to have hit all of Jefferson County, Indiana,” he wrote. “Many houses were damaged, trees and power lines were downed.” He too Posted photos There was a big hailstorm.
Matt Drew, director of emergency management in Jefferson County, said at least two tornadoes touched down there and damaged 29 homes. An apparent tornado emerged under a severe thunderstorm warning Thursday afternoon, and he said they were preparing for another storm with a tornado warning hitting midnight.
Two people sustained minor injuries, he said.
“It just came out of nowhere. There was no warning,” he said.
The potential tornado crossed the Ohio River and entered Trimle County, Kentucky, where emergency management director Andrew Stark said 20 to 30 homes were severely damaged, with some roofs ripped off and walls destroyed.
As of Thursday night, 85 percent of the houses were without electricity, the main feeder line of the district was down, he said. He said there was no loss of life and two minor injuries.
“It's a mess,” Mr. Stark said.
Gov. Andy Beshear The tornado also hit Kentucky's Gallatin County and Carroll County, he said.
More than 55,000 customers were without power in Indiana and Kentucky power cut. us.
Earlier Thursday night, the National Weather Service in Cleveland warned of a “very dangerous half-mile wide tornado” that could damage homes and structures. That's later wrote on social media It is tracking two tornadoes, one in Crawford County south of Chatfield and another in northern Ashland County near Nankin and Polk.
Officials in Ohio say they are assessing severe damage to a lakefront mobile home community near Lakeview, Ohio.
