INDIANAPOLIS — A line of dangerous storms passed across central Indiana on Friday night, sparking dozens of tornado watches and warnings, downing buildings and powerlines and leaving tens of thousands without power.
Meteorologists Sean Ash and Angela Buchman were live on air for hours as the warnings were issued. They suspect there will be a handful of confirmed tornadoes that struck central Indiana. The NWS also said they can confidently say there were multiple tornadoes with details to be determined in the coming days.
And, tornadoes aside, central Indiana counties were being whipped by winds of up to 70 mph.
Videos from Greenwood and Carmel showed the strengths of those winds as heavy rain fell in the area.
At midnight Saturday, we got the first look at the widespread damage from those storms.
Johnson County was one of the counties hit hard by the storms.
Emergency responders reported significant damage in Whiteland, east of U.S. 31.
Stephanie Sichting, the director of the Johnson County Emergency Management Agency, said homes had collapsed, leaving people trapped. And, just after midnight, first responders said they couldn't get to some of those homes because of downed powerlines.
However, firefighters said they were able to eventually safely get the trapped people free.
13News crews went to Whiteland and saw big trees that had fallen, houses with their roofs off and front doors ripped off.
13News viewer Tracy Bartak said she was driving in on Whiteland Road, about a mile east of U.S. 31, during the storms. The storm blew out the windows of her car and set off the airbags. No one was hurt, but Bartak said they were a bit shaken up.
In Martinsville, pictures show debris hurled into the town's square and a brick church with its steeple down and bricks blown into the road.
Viewers also shared photos and videos of other damage in Martinsville, including a large tree pulled from its roots and a destroyed home.
GALLERY: Central Indiana storm damage | March 31, 2023
A house in Gas City has reportedly fallen on a homeowner, according to Center Township Fire Rescue.
Swayzee also had several homes on the ground.
In Yorktown, a tree fell, blocking a county road and taking down powerlines.