No Fatalities Reported From Yesterday's Storms

Gov. Mike Pence monitoring storm reports from state command center

Yesterday's storms packed some very high winds and reports of numerous tornados but there are no reports of fatalities despite the considerable damage sustained in several areas hit hard by the storm system. Kokomo appears to have suffered the worst storm damage. Schools are closed there today while emergency workers continue their response in the worst affected areas, which appear to be on the city's south side. There was also substantial storm damage reported in Boone, Knox, Montgomery and Tippecanoe counties. Indianapolis lucked out. The only significant damage was the destruction of the historic post office building in Irvington, which was undergoing restoration when yesterday's hurricane-force winds leveled the building. A little more than 5,000 power outages were reported across Marion County, a surprisingly low number given the strength of the winds as the city sustained two separate punches as the storm system moved through, ushering in much colder air behind it.

Indiana's Gov. Mike Pence was busy working the state's emergency command center at the State House complex, contacting mayors of cities affected by the storms and calling into area TV stations to provide updates on damage reports. Those who wanted to spend the afternoon watching football games instead received seemingly endless live reports updating viewers on the latest warnings and live reports from areas affected by the storms. TV reporters were out and about desperately seeking severe weather damage anywhere. They finally found it when they came upon a lone Starbucks in Lebanon that was ravaged by the storm. It looks like the worst of the storm system hit neighboring Illinois before arriving here. Washington, Illinois sustained the worst storm damage from a major tornado. There were at least 5 fatalities caused by yesterday's storms in Illinois.

Starbuck in Lebanon destroyed by storm (Photo: Lebanon Reporter)