Storms Bring Tornadoes, Flash Floods, Evacuations in Midwest

Heavy rainfall that sparked flash flooding in Fort Wayne, Ind., forced motorists to flee submerged cars and prompted the evacuation of about 20 homes in the northeastern Indiana city. And in Ohio, authorities say tornadoes that touched down in three southwest Ohio counties caused damage while 15 people trapped by flooding had to be rescued from a park.

In Fort Wayne, fire department spokesman Adam O’Connor says firefighters used rafts to remove some elderly residents from low-lying homes on the city’s southeast side following Wednesday’s deluge.

American Electric Power crews went house to house shutting off power to the area after more than an inch of rain fell, flooding underpasses and other low-lying areas.

The Journal Gazette reports city residents were being asked to stay out of high water and flooded basements that could pose an electrical shock threat.

Allen County officials say the high waters in the county occurred in areas that don’t regularly see flash flooding.Suspected tornado damage in Ohio was reported Wednesday night in Clark, Greene and Miami counties. A gas station was destroyed in Clark County and some residents of a nearby damaged apartment complex were evacuated.

No serious injuries have been reported.

Fifteen people gathered for a birthday party became trapped at a Madison Township park in Butler County after flood waters rose over a bridge. Rescuers led them to safety through a wooded area at the back of a golf course.

A flash flood warning was issued until noon Thursday in parts of southwest Ohio, southeast Indiana and northern Kentucky.