EF-1 tornado touched down in Gary: NWS

GARY, Ind. - An EF-1 tornado touched down in Gary, Indiana yesterday as severe storms passed through the area, the National Weather Service reported.

Tornado touches down in Gary

What we know:

The tornado funnel cloud was seen near 21st Avenue and Hendricks Street, according to Gary officials. On Thursday morning, the NWS said preliminary information from their survey team indicated it was a tornado of EF-1 intensity.

The NWS is continuing to investigate.

Several homes and businesses reported significant wind damage along with uprooted trees and stripped limbs, city officials said. Some areas also reported flooding. Dozens of families were displaced.

Gary activated an emergency response Thursday morning, saying crews are working to clear debris and fallen branches from the impacted neighborhoods.

At the height of the storm, officials said NIPSCO was dealing with 13,000 power outages in northwest indiana.

What is an EF-1 tornado?

Dig deeper:

An EF-1 tornado is a moderate tornado on the Enhanced Fujita (EF) scale, which measures tornado intensity based on estimated wind speeds and damage. EF-1 tornadoes have wind speeds ranging from 86 to 110 mph and can cause considerable damage.

Typical effects of an EF-1 tornado include damage to roofs, mobile homes being overturned, windows shattered, and small trees being uprooted.

Gary residents in need of assistance

What you can do:

Residents should use caution around downed power lines and report them directly to NIPSCO at (800) 464-7726, officials said. High winds are expected to continue throughout the evening across the region.

For assistance, residents can call 311 at (219) 881-1311 or visit gary.gov/311 to submit a request.

The City of Gary is coordinating with local officials and agencies to support families affected by the severe weather. The Monroe Center, located at 4101 Washington St., has been opened as an emergency shelter and can be reached at (219) 501-8766.