Cleanup To Begin After Tornadoes Hit Central Indiana
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Residents in central Indiana were getting their first glimpses of crumpled buildings, scattered debris, and destroyed neighborhoods, a day after several tornaodes touched down on Wednesday.
The Indiana Department of Homeland Security said an initial analysis determined at least a dozen tornadoes blew through in a matter of minutes.
The hardest hit town was Kokomo, about 40 miles north of Indianapolis. A preliminary survey by the National Weather Service indicated an EF3 tornado, with winds of 165 mph, struck the town Wednesday afternoon.
Frightened residents took cover right away.
"We were in the bathroom; didn't actually see it come through, but heard the crack of the tree in our front yard come down," witness Julie Davis said.
Jaylin Gibbons, 14, said he and his family were heading to the basement when the twister hit.
"Then it just all came in, and it jerked the door out of my hand," he said.
The tornadoes caused widespread damage, but no one was seriously injured. About a dozen people suffered minor injuries.
John Frey said it seemed like his farm was ground zero for the twisters.
"They just come right through here, but that's just crops. You know, it's not people's lives," he said.
Dion Hinders said she saw a tornado take out three neighbors' houses.
Roofs were torn of businesses and homes, and trees were knocked down, knocking out power to thousands.
A Starbucks store was flattened, leaving the roof and walls on the ground; and an apartment building was torn apart. Air conditioners fell from the building onto parked cars.
Authorities estimated they spotted eight funnel clouds in the Howard County area, but it was not clear how many touched down.
Officials have declared a state of emergency for the Kokomo and Howard County.
The National Weather Service was sending out multiple crews Thursday morning to survey the damage in several counties. The crews also will confirm the number of tornadoes that touched down, and the strength of each twister.
Gov. Mike Pence left the campaign trail to return to Indiana to assess the damage and monitor the cleanup. The Republican vice presidential nominee was campaigning in North Carolina when the tornadoes hit Indiana. Thursday morning, Pence met with residents whose homes were destroyed.