• WBST 92.1 FMMuncie
  • WBSB 89.5 FMAnderson
  • WBSW 90.9 FMMarion
  • WBSH 91.1 FMHagerstown / New Castle
Indiana Public Radio, a listener-supported service of Ball State University
Listen Live Online. Tap to open audio stream.

Tornadoes Damage About 30 Homes In Monroe County, Hundreds Without Power

By Rebecca Thiele, IPB News | Published on in Weather
Like her home, Sue Stolz's barn was severely damaged in the tornado (Seth Tackett/WTIU)
Like her home, Sue Stolz's barn was severely damaged in the tornado (Seth Tackett/WTIU)

National Weather Service officials are surveying the damage from Saturday’s severe weather. They believe tornadoes may have touched down near Ellettsville, Freedom, Ridgeport, and Beech Grove near Indianapolis.

Monroe County Emergency Management is reporting about 30 homes are damaged in the county, but so far no injuries have been reported. Ellettsville resident Sue Stolz says she was inside her home when the tornado hit — both her home and barn are severely damaged.

“Honestly, I’m more concentrating on what I have. I’m just thankful to be alive and my critters are good and people weren’t hurt,” she says.

Ellettsville resident Chris Hostetler was at his grandmother’s house cleaning up the aftermath. He says the tornado damaged her breezeway, the garage, boats, sheds, and the porch.

“She didn’t even know it hit until she looked and seen the porch railing on the house. So other than that she’s fine, just shook up,” he says.

As of Sunday afternoon, there were more than 800 Duke Energy customers without power in the southern half of the state.

The storms also triggered record daily rainfall in Indianapolis at 3.85 inches — more than twice as much rain as the previous record held in 1875.

The Monroe County EMA advises residents to be careful driving due to flooding and trees down in the area. Right now, there are no shelters open for the disaster, but two are on stand-by.

Residents who need shelter can call the Monroe County EMA at 812-349-2546 or the Red Cross at 812-332-7292.

Indiana Environmental reporting is supported by the Environmental Resilience Institute, an Indiana University Grand Challenge project developing Indiana-specific projections and informed responses to problems of environmental change.