At least one death reported along with some injuries, tens of thousands of power outages
Brookville, Ohio — A swarm of tornadoes so tightly packed that one may have crossed the path carved by another tore across both Ohio and Indiana overnight. The twisters smashed homes, blew out windows and ended the school year early for some students. One person was killed and about 90 were injured.
The storms were among 53 twisters that forecasters said may have touched down Monday across eight states stretching eastward from Idaho and Colorado. The past couple of weeks have seen unusually high tornado activity in the U. S., with no immediate end to the pattern in sight.
The winds peeled away roofs — leaving homes looking like giant doll houses — knocked houses off their foundations, toppled trees, brought down power lines and churned up so much debris that it could be seen on radar. Highway crews had to use snowplows to clear an Ohio interstate.
Some of the heaviest damage was reported just outside Dayton, Ohio. The storm damaged a popular sports center in the city. Action Sports Center is closed after the severe weather destroyed fields and an indoor venue, CBS affiliate WHIO-TV reported.
«It is complete devastation,» said Kyle Coby, one of the owners of the complex.
In Celina, Ohio, 81-year-old Melvin Dale Hannah was killed when a parked car was blown into his house, Mayor Jeffrey Hazel said Tuesday.
