File photo of damage from tornadoes in Indiana.
Deadly storms that swept the Midwest and South have mostly spared Indiana from major damage, the National Weather Service reported Saturday.
Officials at the NWS office in Indianapolis also said there were no confirmed reports of tornadoes in the state Friday night and Saturday morning.
Indiana’s neighbors to the south and west suffered extensive damage, including a monstrous tornado that killed dozens in Kentucky.
“We lucked out compared to the neighbors to the south and west,” Mike Ryan, an NWS meteorologist in Indianapolis, said Saturday.
Ryan said the NWS received reports of damage to a farm silo and a vehicle in Fountain County but nothing compared to the destruction in Kentucky and elsewhere. He said that was largely thanks to more stable air conditions in Indiana.
READ MORE: Thousands lose power after storms sweep through Indiana
But the thunderstorms still damaged power lines across the state, leaving thousands of Hoosiers without electricity for much of the night.
Duke Energy reported about 15,000 homes in Indiana were initially without power early Saturday, including 2,000 in the Bloomington area. Most homes were reconnected by Saturday afternoon, according to the company.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said upwards of 70 may have died when a twister touched down for more than 200 miles in his state but the number of deaths could exceed 100 across 10 or more counties.
“This has been the most devastating tornado event in our state’s history,” Beshear said at a news conference.
READ MORE: Storms may have killed at least 70 people in Kentucky
The storms hit a candle factory in Kentucky, an Amazon facility in Illinois and a nursing home in Arkansas. Officials had confirmed 29 deaths, including 22 in three Kentucky counties. Beshear said about 110 people were in the Mayfield factory when the tornado roared through.
Debris from destroyed buildings and shredded trees covered the ground in Mayfield, a city of about 10,000 in western Kentucky. Twisted metal sheeting, downed power lines and wrecked vehicles lined the streets of what was barely recognizable as a town.
President Joe Biden tweeted Saturday that he was briefed on the situation and pledged the affected states would “have what they need as the search for survivors and damage assessments continue.”
At least one person died at an Amazon facility in Edwardsville, Illinois, Police Chief Mike Fillback told reporters Saturday morning. The roof of the building was ripped off and a wall about the length of a football field collapsed.
Two people at the facility were taken to hospitals in St. Louis, about 25 miles away, Fillback said. The chief said he did not know their medical conditions. About 30 people who were in the building were taken to the police station for evaluation.
“This is a devastating tragedy for our Amazon family and our focus is on supporting our employees and partners,” Amazon spokesperson Richard Rocha said in a written statement.
Workers at a National Weather Service office had to take shelter as a tornado passed near their office in Weldon Spring, Missouri, about 30 miles west of St. Louis. One person died and two others were injured in building collapses near the towns of Defiance and New Melle, both just a few miles from the weather service office.
“This was an incredible storm that lasted a long time and covered a lot of territory,” said Larry Vannozzi, meteorologist in charge of the National Weather Service office covering the Nashville area.
READ MORE: Roof collapse injures Amazon workers in Illinois
Meteorologists haven’t determined whether the storm spawned a single tornado or multiple tornadoes, he said.
In Arkansas, a tornado struck a nursing home in Monette, killing one and trapping 20 people inside as the building collapsed, Craighead County Judge Marvin Day told The Associated Press. Five people had serious injuries, he said.
Another person died when the storm hit a Dollar General store in nearby Leachville, Gov. Asa Hutchinson said.
“Probably the most remarkable thing is that there’s not a greater loss of life,” Hutchinson said after touring the wreckage of the nursing home. “It is catastrophic. It’s a total destruction.”
READ MORE: Potential for tornado-producing thunderstorms
Three storm-related deaths were confirmed in northwestern Tennessee, said Dean Flener, spokesman for the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency.
The storms swept through Bowling Green, Kentucky, near the Tennessee border, tearing roofs off homes and flinging debris into roadways. Western Kentucky University’s president said on Twitter that one of its student who lived off-campus was killed. The school called off commencement ceremonies that were planned for Saturday because the campus was without power.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Officials at the NWS office in Indianapolis also said there were no confirmed reports of tornadoes in the state Friday night and Saturday morning.
Indiana’s neighbors to the south and west suffered extensive damage, including a monstrous tornado that killed dozens in Kentucky.
“We lucked out compared to the neighbors to the south and west,” Mike Ryan, an NWS meteorologist in Indianapolis, said Saturday.
Ryan said the NWS received reports of damage to a farm silo and a vehicle in Fountain County but nothing compared to the destruction in Kentucky and elsewhere. He said that was largely thanks to more stable air conditions in Indiana.
READ MORE: Thousands lose power after storms sweep through Indiana
But the thunderstorms still damaged power lines across the state, leaving thousands of Hoosiers without electricity for much of the night.
Duke Energy reported about 15,000 homes in Indiana were initially without power early Saturday, including 2,000 in the Bloomington area. Most homes were reconnected by Saturday afternoon, according to the company.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said upwards of 70 may have died when a twister touched down for more than 200 miles in his state but the number of deaths could exceed 100 across 10 or more counties.
“This has been the most devastating tornado event in our state’s history,” Beshear said at a news conference.
READ MORE: Storms may have killed at least 70 people in Kentucky
The storms hit a candle factory in Kentucky, an Amazon facility in Illinois and a nursing home in Arkansas. Officials had confirmed 29 deaths, including 22 in three Kentucky counties. Beshear said about 110 people were in the Mayfield factory when the tornado roared through.
Debris from destroyed buildings and shredded trees covered the ground in Mayfield, a city of about 10,000 in western Kentucky. Twisted metal sheeting, downed power lines and wrecked vehicles lined the streets of what was barely recognizable as a town.
President Joe Biden tweeted Saturday that he was briefed on the situation and pledged the affected states would “have what they need as the search for survivors and damage assessments continue.”
At least one person died at an Amazon facility in Edwardsville, Illinois, Police Chief Mike Fillback told reporters Saturday morning. The roof of the building was ripped off and a wall about the length of a football field collapsed.
Two people at the facility were taken to hospitals in St. Louis, about 25 miles away, Fillback said. The chief said he did not know their medical conditions. About 30 people who were in the building were taken to the police station for evaluation.
Early Saturday, rescue crews were still sorting through the rubble. Fillback said the process could take several more hours. Cranes and backhoes were brought in to help move debris.This morning, I was briefed on the devastating tornadoes across the central U.S. To lose a loved one in a storm like this is an unimaginable tragedy. We’re working with Governors to ensure they have what they need as the search for survivors and damage assessments continue.
— President Biden (@POTUS) December 11, 2021
“This is a devastating tragedy for our Amazon family and our focus is on supporting our employees and partners,” Amazon spokesperson Richard Rocha said in a written statement.
Workers at a National Weather Service office had to take shelter as a tornado passed near their office in Weldon Spring, Missouri, about 30 miles west of St. Louis. One person died and two others were injured in building collapses near the towns of Defiance and New Melle, both just a few miles from the weather service office.
“This was an incredible storm that lasted a long time and covered a lot of territory,” said Larry Vannozzi, meteorologist in charge of the National Weather Service office covering the Nashville area.
READ MORE: Roof collapse injures Amazon workers in Illinois
Meteorologists haven’t determined whether the storm spawned a single tornado or multiple tornadoes, he said.
In Arkansas, a tornado struck a nursing home in Monette, killing one and trapping 20 people inside as the building collapsed, Craighead County Judge Marvin Day told The Associated Press. Five people had serious injuries, he said.
Another person died when the storm hit a Dollar General store in nearby Leachville, Gov. Asa Hutchinson said.
“Probably the most remarkable thing is that there’s not a greater loss of life,” Hutchinson said after touring the wreckage of the nursing home. “It is catastrophic. It’s a total destruction.”
READ MORE: Potential for tornado-producing thunderstorms
Three storm-related deaths were confirmed in northwestern Tennessee, said Dean Flener, spokesman for the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency.
The storms swept through Bowling Green, Kentucky, near the Tennessee border, tearing roofs off homes and flinging debris into roadways. Western Kentucky University’s president said on Twitter that one of its student who lived off-campus was killed. The school called off commencement ceremonies that were planned for Saturday because the campus was without power.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
