Indiana tornado kills one as severe weather causes damage and power outages across multiple states

SHOALS, Ind. (AP) — 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. A tornado also touched down Sunday afternoon in Johnson County, south of Indianapolis, damaging at least at least 75 homes, authorities said.

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 (140 kilometers) southwest of Indianapolis and 80 miles (130 kilometers) northwest of Louisville, Kentucky.

A tornado also touched down Sunday afternoon in Johnson County, south of Indianapolis, causing damage in communities including Greenwood and Bargersville, officials said.

Michael Pruitt, deputy fire chief of Bargersville, Indiana, told the Indianapolis Star 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.

Survey teams were set to visit Martin, Johnson, Daviess and Monroe counties on Monday to assess damage from Sunday’s severe storms and tornadoes, according to the National Weather Service office in Indianapolis.

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.

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The story has been updated to correct the spelling of Johnson County.