At least two people have died, and numerous others have been injured as a series of powerful storms, likely including tornadoes, tore through eastern Indiana and western Ohio on Thursday evening. The severe weather left a trail of destruction, flattening buildings, knocking out power for thousands, and triggering search and rescue efforts in affected communities.
According to Logan County, Ohio, Sheriff Randall Dodds, two fatalities occurred at the Geiger Mobile Home Park in Lakeview, north of Dayton, after a reported tornado struck the area. Speaking to NBC's "TODAY" show on Friday, Dodds warned that the death toll and injury count could rise as search efforts continue. "It's devastating - devastation beyond belief. It will probably be even more severe when daylight comes up," he said.
Heavy lifting equipment is being deployed to access damaged houses, and deputies, along with search dogs, are combing the area for potential survivors. "I'm hoping we're going to find some survivors today who made it through the night, and I'm looking forward to that happening," Dodds added.
In Winchester, Indiana, a city of around 4,800 near the Ohio border, homes were damaged, and some buildings were flattened after a possible tornado struck minutes before 8 p.m. Indiana State Police Superintendent Doug Carter confirmed that while initial reports of three deaths in the area were incorrect, there were many significant injuries and a "terrible, terrible event" in Winchester.
"I heard what sounded like a train," Winchester Mayor Bob McCoy said of the storm. "We need to really wait until the morning to really see what the true damage is. We're going to continue to work through the night and try and find people."
The National Weather Service stated that damage in Winchester was most likely caused by a tornado, although official confirmation will require survey teams to visit the affected areas.
In Selma, a community of around 750 people west of Winchester, up to half of the buildings may have been damaged, according to emergency management officials. Lisa Gulley, a Selma resident who filmed the weather, described the terrifying experience: "The sky was completely black. I saw the clouds were kind of spinning and I saw it form, basically over my neighbor's house, just two doors down - and then it just dropped. We barely had time to get in the house."
Despite the extensive damage, the Emergency Management Agency in Delaware County, where Selma is located, reported only one minor injury as of late Thursday.
Ascension St. Vincent Hospital in Winchester reported receiving 39 patients from the storms as of midnight.
The storms occurred on a day when tornado watches stretched across a band of the U.S., from northeast Texas, through parts of Arkansas and Indiana, and into Ohio. More than 13 million people were under tornado watches Thursday night, according to the weather service.
In Huron County, Ohio, emergency officials reported a tornado an estimated half-mile wide crossing a highway, while in Hot Springs Village, Arkansas, state police responded to downed power lines and roof damage.
As the region begins to assess the full extent of the damage and injuries, search and rescue efforts continue in the hardest-hit areas. The severe weather threat is expected to shift to the U.S. Southeast on Friday, with more than 30 million people from Texas to South Carolina potentially facing severe storms, large hail, damaging wind gusts, heavy rainfall, and a few tornadoes.
The devastation caused by these storms serves as a stark reminder of the power and unpredictability of severe weather events. As communities come together to support those affected and begin the process of rebuilding, the focus remains on ensuring the safety and well-being of all residents in the storm-ravaged areas.
NBC News and CNN also contributed to this report.
