Videos show “devastating” tornadoes rip through parts of Indiana

Parts of central Indiana were hit by severe weather, including tornados that leveled buildings, massive hail that pummeled the area and powerful winds that uprooted trees and downed power lines.

Johnson County is one of the areas that appears to have taken the brunt of the “terrifying” storms on Sunday, with Sheriff Duane Burgess telling local news outlet 13News that several neighborhoods have been “damaged or destroyed.” As of 8 p.m. Sunday night, it is unclear if anyone was killed or injured or how much destruction was incurred.

“Parts of northern Johnson County has been hit by a tornado and the damage area covers a very large area,” Burgess said to 13News. “Several neighborhoods and homes have been damaged or destroyed. We are asking that if you do not live in the area please stay out of the area because you are hindering the work of Emergency workers.”

Greenwood, a city of about 65,000 people located roughly 20 minutes south of Indianapolis, was slammed by storm, the Indianapolis office of the National Weather Service (NWS) confirmed.

Newsweek reached out via email to the NWS and Greenwood Mayor Mark Myers for comment.

Just after 4:20 p.m. local time, NWS Indianapolis sent out a tornado warning on Twitter for the Greenwood area, cautioning that a tornado had been “observed.”

Dozens of Twitter users shared videos of a powerful tornado touching down and wreaking havoc as it moves through the city.

One Twitter user shared a jaw-dropping clip that shows a tornado shredding structures in Greenwood, saying buildings were being “torn apart like toothpicks.”

“BREAKING: Following a tornado watch, an incredibly destructive tornado has just touched down in Greenwood, as well as New Whiteland, Indiana. These buildings appear to get torn apart like toothpicks, as debris is hurled hundreds of feet into the air,” Brian Krassenstein tweeted. “The speed of this tornado was also quite remarkable, as seen in the clip below. Video from Eric Ford on Facebook at Stones Crossing/SR-135 in Greenwood”

Another tweet shows shocking footage of debris flying through the air.

“Wow! Check out this intense and close-up view of the #tornado ripping through Greenwood, Indiana earlier today,” wrote Twitter user Weather Nation. “You can even see debris flying everywhere. #INwx”

One Twitter user said he was out delivering for DoorDash when a tornado came “swirling down” and barreling towards him.

“Oh the joy of Door Dashing in Indiana,” Slick Reynolds said in the tweet with a profanity-laced video. “I saw this thing come swirling down out of the f****** clouds. The video doesn’t do it justice, felt much closer with the eye, and it’s coming towards me.”

Hail, with some stones as large as baseballs, also pummeled parts of Indiana, according to the NWS. Several people shared photos and videos from the Indiana town of Sheridan around 3:50 p.m. local time on Sunday.

“Hail in the roadway west of Sheridan,” Justin Sparks tweeted.

Several videos show the aftermath in Greenwood, including numerous downed trees and collapsed structures.

“Damage on Travis road in greenwood indiana,” wrote Twitter user LoganWeather08.

One Twitter clip appears to show flattened buildings near Greenwood’s Kensington Grove neighborhood.

“Tornado damages near us,” Cole Basey tweeted.

For people who were left without a place to stay due to storm damage, the American Red Cross is operating a shelter at Greenwood Middle School.

As of Sunday night, tornado watches remained in effect for several counties in Indiana and Kentucky.