Tornado Tears up Homes, Trees in Indianapolis

Residents cleaned up Saturday after a tornado plowed a trail of destruction through the east side of Indianapolis, but they gave thanks that nobody was killed and that the only injuries were minor.



The storm blew through late Friday, ripping roofs off several apartment buildings, snapping trees and toppling power lines. Eighteen people were treated for "very minor" injuries, said John Ball, the area's emergency management director. It is a miracle that we didn't have serious injuries or death, he said. A gentleman told me last night at the shelter that he was lying in bed and heard a rumble, and the roof was gone and he saw the sky.

Winds snapped trees, wrapped metal sheeting around a telephone pole and left a four-block-wide trail of debris about a mile long. Gas station pumps were knocked over, roof shingles shredded, and power lines and tree branches scattered. The storm knocked out power to more than 100,000 customers. Many thousands remained without power Saturday afternoon, utilities said.

The American Red Cross of Greater Indianapolis housed 170 people overnight in a church gym near a destroyed apartment complex in the city of nearly 800,000. Some of these folks came in with the clothes on their backs or pajamas, and they were soaked, too, said spokeswoman Beth Smietana.

More came later Saturday morning to register for help or pick up baby formula, bottles and diapers.





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