The state’s Department of Homeland Security reported early Thursday that 12 tornadoes touched down in Adams, Allen, Blackford, Cass, Grant, Howard, Marion and Montgomery counties in northern and central in, but later the agency revised that number to eight.
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As of Thursday afternoon, the National Weather Service had confirmed that at least seven tornadoes hit IN during Wednesday’s outbreak, five of them IN central IN and two others IN northeastern Indiana.
GOP vice presidential nominee and Indiana Gov. Mike Pence this morning commended the residents of Kokomo, who were “in front yards helping neighbors, and in many cases, helping complete strangers put their lives back together”, he said. The high winds left downed trees and overturned cars in their wake.
The National Weather Service has added two more tornadoes to the total that hit IN during Wednesday’s outbreak. Kokomo is about 50 miles north of Indianapolis.
Fortunately, no major reports of damage were recorded from this tornado. The previous twister injured almost three dozen people.
Local officials say the Park Place Apartments has been ordered vacated after most of the 16-building complex was damaged or destroyed. One that hit Kokomo has been determined to be an EF3 with 165 miles per hour winds.
Indiana Homeland Security and IMPD spotted the tornado originally at 21st Street and Ritter Avenue around 4:15 p.m.
There were no immediate reports of injuries.
Government workers in the City County Building downtown were alerted Wednesday afternoon to take shelter in the stairwells, before receiving the all clear to return to work about 20 minutes later. Starbucks released a statement on its website, saying workers and customers at the damaged coffee shop were safe.
Tree branches rest on top of a vehicle after a tornado struck in Kokomo, Indiana, Aug. 24, 2016.
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The American Red Cross setup a shelter at the Kokomo Event and Conference Center for those displaced by Wednesday’s storms.
