Two confirmed tornadoes ripped through some parts of northwest Indiana during Thursday night’s severe storms, causing severe damage, power outages, and emergency responses across several countries.
Several officials stated the first tornado struck central Lake County, including Merrillville, where Andrean High School sustained significant damage.
The school issued a warning that the campus remains unsafe due to downed power lines, fallen trees, broken glass, and structural damage, urging the public to stay away while assessments persist.
According to Merrillville officials, extensive destruction across the town, with road closures caused by debris and live electrical lines.
A command center was established near 61st and Cleveland Street, as emergency teams from Indiana and neighboring Illinois helped in the search operations.
Notably, a second tornado was also confirmed in some parts of Porter County such as Kouts and Hebron. Several authorities stated multiple communities were heavily impacted, though no deaths have been reported yet.
Additionally, law enforcement issued warnings to the residents regarding the possible looting and scams in affected areas.
Utility providers reported severe disruptions, with over 70,000 outages recorded by NIPSCO across several towns, while Kankakee Valley REMC also reported thousands of extra outages.
Restoration work remains as crews assess damage.
Emergency shelters have already been opened, including facilities in Hobart and Highland, with the American Red Cross offering extra support for displaced residents.
Several officials stated National Weather Service teams will keep on checking the region to confirm tornado paths and assess the full extent of damage.
