Tornado batters Linton, one dead
About 7 p.m. Greene County Dispatch was advised of a single vehicle with a tree collapsed atop it near 1461 N. 1500 W. in Linton.
Deputies found the driver — Allison L. McCammon, 33, of Dugger — was deceased. There were three juvenile passengers in the vehicle, one of whom was listed in critical condition.
"Our community was devastated by a tornado," said the sheriff's office news release, completed by Greene County Sheriff's Deputy Andrew Shelton.
"This storm caused a long line of damage north of city Linton that stretched an estimated 15 miles. We were so thankful and encouraged to see the amount of people out helping their neighbors."
City utility workers were out repairing damage within an hour after the storm had passed, the sheriff's department said.
"While the worst is over, we still have several utility workers working diligently day and night to rebuild our infrastructure," the deputy continued. "Make sure to drive responsibly and do not clog the streets to survey the damage."
National Weather Service Meteorologist Earl Breon said the tornado's highest winds were measured at 128 miles per hour, which would make it category EF-2 (winds between 111-135 mph).
The EF-2 tornado traversed a path from 1 mile east of Indiana 54 just north of Linton, extending 14 miles to Switz City. By the time it reached just south of Worthington, it had been downgraded to an EF-1 tornado.
McCammon's death appeared the only known fatality in Indiana due to the storm, though tornadoes also descended upon Bloomington. In Kentucky, 19 people died as a result of tornadoes.
Linton Mayor John Preble offered a Facebook post with a message from Roger Axe, director of Linton Emergency Medical Services, announcing a multi-service center to offer assistance to those affected by the storm.
The former National Guard Armory at 2000 W. Indiana 54 will be open for the next few days from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. offering aid to those in need as well as receiving donations from the United Way, the Red Cross, Baptist Disaster Relief of Indiana and other generous neighbors.
Those wishing to contribute are asked to provide essential personal items like clothing, pillows and blankets, hygiene supplies and other comfort items. No monetary contributions will be accepted, Axe said.
On Tuesday, the Linton Assembly of God at 1503 A St. will provide mental health care from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. for those traumatized by the storm.
Axe surveyed the damage with members of the Indiana Department of Homeland Security early Saturday. About 60 homes were damaged, displacing 200-250 people, he said. They are being cared for now but will need other shelter in the near future.
A turkey barn was also destroyed, with no remaining turkeys found in the area, Axe said, adding that he has not heard any reports of other damaged structures.
Fairview Road, home to the town's cemetery, was hit pretty hard, he noted.
The county's Emergency Management Agency had recently created a "Reverse 911" service — instead of people calling in for assistance, the county will phone those in localized areas to alert them about all manner of emergencies.
Residents are encouraged to sign up at gcema.ddns.net/signup/.
"This (tornado) underscores the need for people to sign up for Reverse 911," Axe said.
Axe said the NWS said that tree damage was worse than usual because of the wet spring and the fact that trees have sprouted leaves that were caught in the wind's gusts.
The NWS tracked and surveyed the results of Friday's storms in Monroe, Sullivan, Greene, Brown and Bartholomew Counties on Sunday.
Those looking for direct assistance from the American Red Cross can call 1-800-RED CROSS.
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