KOKOMO, Ind. — Residents of a central Indiana city where trees were sheared to stumps by one of several tornadoes in the region began the hard work Thursday of cleaning up destroyed or damaged homes and businesses.
The EF3 tornado packing winds of up to 165 mph that swept through the south side of Kokomo, Ind., on Wednesday toppled a Starbucks coffee shop and tore apart numerous homes.
On Thursday, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence hugged and chatted with residents in a neighborhood where the damage seemed to skip some homes altogether. Pence credited quick thinking and early warnings of the approaching storm for the lack of serious injuries.
Howard County Sheriff Steve Rogers said only 10 to 15 residents in the city 40 miles north of Indianapolis had minor injuries.
Cheryl Swyers said her house was spared from major damage. But the tornado demolished most of the home across the street, which belonged to Mark Martinez, 45, who left to pick up his daughter from school minutes before the tornado tore through.
When they returned, his daughter was distraught because their dog was still inside the rubble of the home. After some digging, Martinez found the dog alive.
The Kokomo tornado was one of several that swept through central and northern Indiana and northwest Ohio on Wednesday.
In Ohio, damage was reported in four counties, including Van Wert County, where officials said at least two tornadoes touched down about 2 miles apart, tearing roofs off homes and flattening barns.