Tornado outbreak strikes Indiana and Ohio, numerous injuries, 2 fatalities reported

A severe storm system spawned eight tornadoes across Indiana, Ohio, and Texas on March 14, 2024, resulting in numerous injuries and widespread property damage. The most critical impact occurred in Winchester, Indiana, where significant injuries were reported by the Indiana State Police, and in Ohio, where multiple structures were destroyed and two people lost their lives.

A series of tornadoes tore through parts of Indiana, Ohio, and Texas on Thursday, March 14, causing numerous injuries and significant structural damage. The National Weather Service (NWS) Storm Prediction Center received reports of eight tornadoes: five in Ohio, two in Indiana, and one unconfirmed in Texas.

The most severe impact was felt in Winchester, Indiana, where the State Police reported “many significant injuries” following a tornado’s destructive path through the community. According to Randolph County Sheriff Art Moystner, the tornado damaged a Walmart store and a Taco Bell.

“Travel throughout the county is restricted to emergency management workers only,” Moystner said.

Although initial reports mentioned three deaths in Winchester, no fatalities have been confirmed there, State Police Superintendent Douglas Carter said.

Indiana Task Force One has been deployed to assist with search efforts in the affected area, approximately 112 km (70 miles) northeast of Indianapolis.

Up to half of the structures in the small town of Selma, west of Winchester, were damaged by a possible tornado, emergency management officials said.

In Ohio, tornadoes were reported in Mercer, Hancock, Auglaize, Logan, and Huron counties, leaving behind a trail of destruction.

Lakeview in Ohio’s Logan County saw multiple buildings damaged or destroyed by a tornado that touched down near the southern end of Indian Lake, impacting the villages of Lakeview and Russells Point, said Sheri Timmers, a spokesperson for Logan County.

Logan County Sheriff Randall Dodds said that there were two deaths at the Geiger Mobile Home Park in Lakeview.

Near Plymouth in Ohio’s Huron County, some 120 km (75 miles) NE of Indian Lake, emergency management officials posted on Facebook that there was a “confirmed large and extremely dangerous tornado.”

Damage assessments in the Ohio River communities of Hanover and Lamb in Indiana indicated significant destruction of homes and other structures, though, fortunately, no injuries were reported. Storms also struck Jefferson County, with homes damaged and power lines downed.

Across the state line in Kentucky, Governor Andy Beshear reported storm damage in Gallatin and Trimble counties, with over 100 structures potentially affected.

The extent of the injuries and the full scope of the storm’s damage continues to be assessed.

Large damaging hail, wind gusts, and a few tornadoes remain a threat from far northeast Texas to the Ohio Valley overnight, NWS said.

References:

¹ ‘Many significant injuries’ after tornado tears through Indiana community, cops say – AP – March 15, 2024

² ‘It’s pure devastation’ — Storms pound Central Ohio – WSYX – March 15, 2024

³ NWS/SPC Storm Reports for March 14, 2024

⁴ 2 dead in Ohio, severe damage in Indiana as suspected tornadoes hit Midwest – NBC News – March 15, 2024

Featured image credit: Live Storms Media (stillshot)