Crews search for damage, make repairs from Sunday night storms
Note: This story has been updated
Bartholomew County emergency officials will be out looking for signs of a possible tornado last night in the community.
Shannan Cooke, head of the county’s Emergency Management Department, says that there were several unofficial reports of a funnel cloud on the west side of the county, near the Interstate 65 and Jonathan Moore Pike intersection.
Tornado warnings were issued for Bartholomew County at 7:08 p.m. and again at 7:29 p.m. last night according to the National Weather Service, both showing radar indicated rotation in the storms.
Cooke says the county has been added to those that can report damage from last night’s storms. You are encouraged to visit in211.org and click on DAMAGE REPORTING to submit a report. You can also dial 211 or 866-211-9966, Monday – Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. to complete a damage report over the phone.
Thousands of people in our area are still without power this morning after last night’s storms blew through.
Duke Energy is reporting about 1,100 customers without power from Nashville to Westport. That includes more than 775 in Columbus, more than 300 in western Bartholomew County near Grandview Lake and 121 near Nashville.
Bartholomew County REMC is reporting 802 customers without power this morning, most in Ohio Township on the west side of the county, centered around Grandview Lake. The local utility says this morning that the Grandview outage is going to require major repairs and will take significant time. They say that because the damage is so widespread, they are unable to backfeed many homes. You should plan for a prolonged outage in that area.
Bartholomew County REMC will have mutual aid and contractor crews coming in this morning.
Local emergency officials say that you should stay out of the way or repair and cleanup crews from last night’s severe storms in our area. Authorities urge you to stay off the roads if you can, and if you have to be out to use extra caution while they work through the problem areas.
The strong winds knocked down trees and power poles blocking many local roads and streets. With continuing power outages, you could still see traffic snarled with some traffic lights out. You should be on the lookout for temporary traffic signals or officers directing traffic.
According to Bartholomew County Emergency Management, as of this morning several roads remain closed with power lines down including:
- 300 S/ 650 W
- 650 W/ 450 S 250 E in between State St and 275 S
- 550 W in between Nasby Trail and Deaver Rd
- 300 S/ 475 W
- The stop lights at National/Westenedge are out. Officers are present directing traffic.
As of last night, the Bartholomew County Emergency Management Department had three reports of trees or poles that fell on houses in Columbus, Grandview Lake area and Sunnybrook Trailer Park in Elizabethtown.
No injuries have been reported.
Photo: Storm damage near Columbus Regional Hospital Sunday night. Photo courtesy of Tom Kotowski.