Indiana tornadoes leave at least 1 dead with damage reported in Johnson, Martin counties

SHOALS, Ind. — A tornado struck a home, killing one occupant and injuring another as severe weather hit parts of Indiana, Tennessee and other states, an official said.

The tornado that struck the home Sunday evening was part of a storm system that pushed through Martin County, Indiana, WXIN-TV reported.

Martin County Emergency Management Agency Director Cameron Wolf confirmed the death and injury, according to WXIN, which reported that the home was in a rural area where multiple trees were brought down by high winds.

Martin County emergency management officials did not immediately respond to an email from The Associated Press seeking additional information about the casualties and the extent of storm damage.

The town of Shoals, the Martin County seat, is about 85 miles (137 kilometers) southwest of Indianapolis and 80 miles (128 kilometers) northwest of Louisville, Kentucky.

A tornado also touched down Sunday afternoon in Johnson County, south of Indianapolis, the Indianapolis Star reported.

Michael Pruitt, deputy fire chief of Bargersville, Indiana, told the newspaper a search and rescue operation did not find any deaths or injuries after the fire department responded to a 4:15 p.m. report of a structure collapse resulting from the Johnson County tornado, which he said was on the ground for about 15 minutes.

Bargersville Fire Chief Erik Funkhouser said in a news conference Sunday that at least 75 homes suffered moderate to severe damage in a 3-mile (4.8-kilometer) area as the tornado crossed Indiana State Road 135 in the vicinity of Interstate 69.

“Obviously, this is a very dangerous scene for the area,” Funkhouser said. “We have power lines that are down all throughout that 3-mile area.”

Pruitt said affected homes could be without electricity for days.

In Memphis, Tennessee, a utility company reported about 120,000 homes and business were left without power Sunday as storms carrying strong winds knocked down trees and caused other damage.