Tornado kills 2 in Indiana; tornado watch issued for 18 counties including Indianapolis

AT least two people were killed after a tornado tore through parts of Indiana overnight, leaving a trail of destruction across communities and prompting emergency weather alerts across the state.

Daybreak in Lake Village on Wednesday revealed extensive damage after the tornado ripped through the community late Tuesday night. Several homes and businesses were destroyed, according to local officials.

Laurie Postma, Public Information Officer for the Lake Township Fire Department, confirmed during a Wednesday morning press conference that at least two people died in the storm.

Tornado outbreak across Illinois and Indiana

The National Weather Service said the storm system was particularly intense. According to the National Weather Service Chicago Office, a powerful supercell thunderstorm produced a “family of tornadoes” — at least four — across multiple counties Tuesday night.

The tornadoes were reported in Livingston County and Kankakee County, as well as Newton County, Jasper County, and Starke County in northwestern Indiana.

Survey teams from the weather agency are expected to assess the storm damage on Wednesday to determine the exact path and strength of the tornadoes.

Massive hail and widespread weather threats

The storms also produced exceptionally large hail, ranging from 3 to 5 inches in diameter. One 6-inch hailstone recorded in Kankakee could be considered for a new state record, the weather service said.

More than 2 million people were under a moderate risk of severe weather, while nearly 22 million people were under a slightly lower risk zone that included Chicago, Fort Worth, and Oklahoma City.

Illinois Governor urges caution

JB Pritzker, Governor of Illinois, said he had been briefed on the damage and expressed support for affected communities.

“Keeping in our thoughts all Illinoisans impacted by the severe weather — we’ll be here to help them recover,” he wrote on social media.

Tornado watch issued for central Indiana

Meanwhile, the National Weather Service Indianapolis Office issued Tornado Watch 41, warning that severe weather could continue across large parts of the state until noon Wednesday.

The watch covers 18 counties in central, eastern, and southern Indiana, including areas around Indianapolis, Bloomington, Columbus, Anderson, and Muncie.

Officials warned residents to remain alert for rapidly changing weather conditions as storm systems move across the region.