PHOTOS: Tornado flattens Starbucks in Kokomo, Indiana
Multiple tornadoes touched down across Indiana on Wednesday afternoon as severe thunderstorms tracked across the state.
Two tornado-producing thunderstorms moved through the Indianapolis area with the National Weather Service referring to one tornado as 'large and extremely dangerous.'
The town of Kokomo, Indiana, located north of Indianapolis, was one of the hardest hit areas. A tornado ripped through a Starbucks in town and flattened the building as it moved through. Fortunately no one inside the coffee shop was injured.
This tornado has been given a preliminary rating of EF-3 by the National Weather Service, with estimated peak winds of 152 mph.
Howard County, where Kokomo is located, has been placed in a state of emergency by the local government due to the severe weather.
The tornadoes tore through trees and power lines across the region which led to widespread power outages.
On Wednesday evening, at least 29,000 electric customers were without power in Kokomo, according to Duke energy. There were an additional 11,000 electric customers without power around Indianapolis, according to Indianapolis Power and Light Company.
There were also numerous reports of tornadoes in northwest Ohio Wednesday evening. According to preliminary data from the Storm Prediction Center, there were at least 40 tornado reports across Indiana and Ohio.
So far, no major injuries or fatalities have been reported across Indiana or Ohio due to the severe thunderstorms. According to the Indiana State Police, approximately 10-15 people suffered minor injuries in rural Howard County and Kokomo. The injuries were largely the result of flying debris.
The Indiana Red Cross and Salvation Army are in Kokomo to assess the damage and to help those affected by the severe weather.
