According to Duke Energy, over 50,000 customers are without power in Southern Indiana as strong storms moved in from Illinois this afternoon, knocking down power lines and trees.
The hardest hit areas, according to Duke Energy are in Bloomington, Bedford and Columbus.
Duke Energy is still assessing the damage. There is no current estimate on when power will be restored.
Severe Thunderstorm warnings began coming in to WSLM this afternoon before 1p as the severe storm cell – which ranged as far north as Terre Haute and as far south as Hopkinsville, Ky and back to St. Louis – moved through the region.
At one point the storm had storm warnings for Washington, Clark, Floyd, Harrison, Jackson, Lawrence, Orange, Crawford, Martin and Dubois Counties and quickly spread into areas of North Central Kentucky and eastern Indiana and Ohio.
The Salem Police Department and Washington County Sheriff’s Department responded to multiple trees down around the county.
A tree blew down on North Main Street in Salem, sending area homes into darkness just after 2p.
At one point, Duke Energy reported almost 4200 customers without power, including Walmart and St. Vincent Hospital.
As of 4p, the number for Duke outtages had dropped to 3,900 customers.
Jackson County REMC reported this afternoon that 7,618 customers were without power in its coverage area, including about 1,000 in Washington County.
The Washington County Sheriff’s Department and Emergency Management Agency reported that the following roads had power lines and trees down:
Highway 150 near Orange County Line
State Road 56 near Livonia
Hardinsburg Livonia Road
Intersection of Cox Ferry & Mulberry Street
North Main Street in Salem near Emma St
Becks Mill Road
135 North and Pump Station Road
RADCLIFF Road
Garrison Hollow Road
Franklin School Road
State Road 335 & Elmer Martin Road
QUAKER Road
Cox Ferry and Elrod Lane
Blue River Road near 6218
Jackson Street in Salem
Bee Line and Hitchcock Road
State Road 56 west near Blue River Woods.
Please use caution when traveling and STAY AWAY from downed POWER LINES.
