PENDLETON, IN(NewsLink) - A tornado ripped through the town of Pendleton Monday night, leaving destruction and power outages in its path.
According to the National Weather Service(NWS), an EF-2 tornado with winds between 111-135 MPH touched down in Pendleton. The majority of the damage caused was due to several trees being leveled, a gas leak, and power outages across the town of about 4200 people. 75 homes were damaged and no major injuries were reported. One person was transported to a hospital with minor injuries. The gas leak was back under control that night.
The police in the area and several surrounding departments responded to Pendleton around 9 p.m. to coordinate a search-and-rescue mission for anyone trapped within their homes. The town was completely closed off to all traffic the night of Memorial Day in order to maintain safety. As of 1 p.m. Tuesday, most of the roads had opened up to allow traffic through before closing again around 3 in a more concentrated area.
Falls Park, a popular destination in the community, was hit hard by the tornado, knocking down many of its trees, bending some playground equipment, and damaging the lighthouse in its pond.
Most of the damage is minimal, with some structures only dealing with shingles coming off the roof and siding ripped off the side of the building.
Several members of the community banded together Tuesday morning to help their neighbors cut trees and clear roadways. An official Volunteer Reception Center is expected to be set up Wednesday for anyone wishing to volunteer during the cleanup process, according to Madison County Emergency Management.
Police are asking residents to stay in their homes if they can. If someone is in need of shelter, they can report to Pendleton Heights High School where the Red Cross has set up a disaster relief station.
