Thursday, August 25, 2016

Tornado in Kokomo caused damaged and cut power to thousands of homes and businesses in Howard County, Indiana





AVIANNE TAN
Updated 1 hr 36 mins ago

Multiple tornadoes have been reported striking central Indiana today -- damaging homes, destroying a Starbucks cafe, downing trees and leaving over 60,000 residents without power.

At 3:15 p.m. local time, the National Weather Service urged everyone in the area to take shelter immediately, calling the situation "particularly dangerous."

A little later, the NWS issued a tornado warning saying a "confirmed large and destructive tornado was about 10 miles east of Kokomo," or about 40 miles north of Indianapolis.

The tornado blew roofs off of homes and buildings, knocked over trees and even flattened a Starbucks in Kokomo's Markland Mall, ABC affiliate WRTV in Indianapolis reported.

People who had been hiding in the Starbucks' bathroom miraculously survived the tornado with no major injuries.

"It's crazy. It's a madhouse," said Mitchell Carlson, a maintenance technician at the Park Place Apartments in Kokomo. He added that the complex has 16 buildings and "probably eight of them don't have a roof."

But fortunately, there have not been any reported injuries at the complex, he said. "So, I guess we're all blessed at the Park Place."

Though the tornado in Kokomo caused damaged and cut power to thousands of homes and businesses in Howard County, no injuries or deaths have been reported, according to Indiana Department of Homeland Security spokesman John Erickson.

In addition to the Kokomo tornado, the IDHS has been assessing whether another reported tornado touchdown on Indianapolis' near east side caused any damage, Erickson said. "We're just asking people to sit tight, especially if there's a tornado warning in their area, so they can stay as safe as possible."

Police officers in Indianapolis spotted at least two funnel clouds close to the ground in the city just south of Interstate 70, but the department had received no reports of damage, according to Officer Jim Gillespie of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department.

The NWS said it had not received any immediate reports of major injuries.

ABC News' Alex Perez, Susan Caraher and The Associated Press contributed to this report.



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(Courtesy of Aaron Baber)

Updated 2 mins ago
INDIANAPOLIS -- The National Weather Service is reporting at least two tornadoes have struck central and north central Indiana.

The weather service issued a tornado warning saying a "confirmed large and destructive tornado was about 10 miles east of Kokomo," or about 40 miles north of Indianapolis

Meteorologist Dave Tucek says a tornado moved from the southwest side of Kokomo to the east-central side of that city. He says there are reports of damage but he had no specifics.

An official in the Howard County Emergency Management office said preliminary assessment has not reported only minor injuries so far.

"We are still in assessment mode as to the extent of the damages," the official said.

Local television station WTHR showed images of downed trees and a damaged Starbucks in the area.


The weather service also says Indiana State Police observed a tornado northwest of the Montgomery County town of New Ross, or about 35 miles northwest of Indianapolis, and moving east.

There were no immediate reports of injuries.
WLS-TV contributed to this report.