2 tornadoes confirmed in Jackson, Monroe counties from Wednesday storms

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — At least two tornadoes have been confirmed in southern Indiana from Wednesday night and Thursday morning’s severe storms, officials say.

The tornadoes in Jackson and Monroe counties have not been ranked on the EF scale as of Thursday morning; the National Weather Service has not yet said when it will have crews conducting surveys.

The tornado warning for Monroe County went out around 9:45 p.m. Wednesday. Sometime after that, the tornado touched down near Gosport, according to News 8 meteorologists. The path and strength of the tornado have yet to be determined.

The second tornado touched down in Jackson County about 13 miles west of Seymour. The NWS described the twister as a “damaging tornado” that would cause damage to mobile homes, roofs, windows, vehicles, and trees.

In southern Indiana, emergency management officials in Dearborn County say a tornado warning was in effect for the southern part of the county, leading to a “significant weather event that likely resulted in a tornado.” One victim reported injuries, but officials say they denied treatment.

‘Substantial’ damage in Monroe County

News 8 had a crew in Monroe County on Thursday morning surveying the damage. WISH-TV Reporter Colin Baillie described damage in the area of Brighton and North Mount Tabor roads as “substantial”

“There are massive limbs down, trees snapped, power lines are down,” he said. “West Brighton Road is totally impassable.”

The sheriff’s office reported around 11 p.m. Wednesday that trees and power lines were down in the north central part of the county, including near Interstate 69 near the Morgan County line.

An online power outage tracker shows that a little under 500 combined people were without power in Monroe and Jackson counties as of 7 a.m. Thursday.

Shelter set up for storm survivors

The American Red Cross has opened an emergency shelter in Stilesville for anyone impacted by the storm and tornado.

The shelter is set up at the Stinesville Community Building at the Old Stinesville Elementary School, and “will be open to disaster survivors until further notice.”

What to do after a damaging storm

If you or anyone you know was impacted by Wednesday and Thursday’s storms, the Indiana Department of Homeland Security provided these tips:

• Avoid fallen power lines and trees.
• Do NOT walk or drive through floodwater.
• Stay out of damaged buildings until they have been cleared as safe by officials.
• Continue monitoring emergency alerts.
• Do not go outside for at least 30 minutes after you’ve last seen lightning or heard thunder.
• If injured, seek medical attention.
• Look for any fire hazards or any water, gas, or oil leaks.
• For damaged buildings or other structures, take photos “of the building and its contents” for insurance claims.

This story will be updated with further information once available.

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