By the Associated Press
5/30/2008
Powerful thunderstorms laced with strong lightning pummeled Indiana, lashing several counties with torrential rains and damaging winds that ripped the roof off an apartment complex in Indianapolis, sending residents to a school for shelter.
Rescue workers combed through the apartment building on the city's east side early Saturday looking for residents who might be trapped. Television reports showed injured residents being helped onto stretchers.
Indianapolis television station WISH-TV reported that one floor was dumped on top of another at the complex. Indianapolis Fire Department Capt. Gregg Harris said rescuers planned another sweep after an initial search of the building.
Nearby John Marshall Middle School was set up as a shelter, though the storms had blown much of the roof off the building.
Winds estimated at more than 70 mph downed trees and power lines throughout the state, leaving tens of thousands without electricity. WISH-TV reported that about 50,000 Indianapolis Power and Light customers were without power early Saturday, and at one point about 10,000 Duke Energy customers were without electricity in counties north of the city, according to the utility's Web site.
A teenager in Rochester, about 40 miles south of South Bend, was taken to a hospital after he was struck by lightning, authorities said.
Winds estimated at 70 to 80 mph downed trees and damaged homes in Andrews in Huntington County near Fort Wayne, and a tree was blown into a house in Ingalls, about 20 miles northeast of Indianapolis. A roof was blown off a building in Wabash, where a funnel cloud also was sighted.
The National Weather Service said weather spotters reported two tornadoes northeast of Lafayette about 7:30 p.m. EDT. Funnel clouds also were reported in Vermillion County and near Marion.
Tornado warnings were issued for several counties as the storms headed southeast.
Flooding from heavy rain was reported in several areas, with some roads made impassable. The weather service said the storm dumped more than 4 inches of rain in White County and nearly 3 inches in about 90 minutes on Fowler in Benton County northwest of Lafayette.
In Carroll County, a storm shelter in the basement of the courthouse was reported flooded by heavy rain.
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