Storms Wreak Havoc in Indiana, Leaving Two Dead and One Injured

A gusty spring storm swept across the state of Indiana on Sunday, leaving at least two people dead, another hurt, and trails of damage. Dozens of warnings were issued throughout the day as strong winds and heavy rain moved through the area.

"At least four semi trucks had been overturned during strong winds," said the National Weather Service.

One fatality occurred in Valparaiso when a 34-year-old man from Ontario, Canada, died after his semi truck rolled southeast of the intersection of U.S. 30 and State Road 49. Winds in the area gusted to 81 mph around 2 p.m. Central Time.

A second fatality occurred in Elkhart County when high winds blew over an Amish buggy near State Road 13 and County Road 43 around 5 p.m. Sunday, according to the NWS Northern Indiana Office.

In addition to the fatalities, one person was injured when a mobile home was demolished in Marshall County.

More than 114,000 customers of Hoosier electricity utilities were without power shortly before 8:30 p.m., with that number dropping to over 112,000 by 9 p.m. as crews began to restore power.

The storm also caused significant damage to trees and structures across the state. In Bartholomew County, trees were reported to have been downed without bark, while in Brown County State Park, numerous treetops were taken out and trees were toppled.

The National Weather Service planned to send crews to survey damage Monday in Brown County with "the potential need" in Monroe and Bartholomew counties.

Other areas affected by the storm included Cass County, where structural damage was reported to a barn and silo; DeKalb County, where strong winds damaged a billboard along I-69; Fulton County, where a small radio tower was downed; Starke County, where large sections of the roof were blown off a church and school; and North Judson, where a large portion of a metal outbuilding lost its roof and wall.

In addition to wind damage, some areas suffered hail damage. Near Evansville and Terre Haute, hail with diameters of peas and quarters was reported amid torrential rain.