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NWS: Preliminary reports indicate at least four tornados caused extensive damage in southern Indiana

The National Weather Service is currently assessing storm damage in Dubois, Orange, and Washington counties.

DUBOIS COUNTY, Ind. — Several communities in Kentuckiana were rocked by severe storms on Monday morning, causing extensive damage in some counties.

The National Weather Service (NWS) sent crews to assess storm damage in Dubois and Orange counties in southern Indiana on Monday. 

Officials said the last time Indiana's southern counties experienced a tornado in August was in 2002.

On Wednesday, crews confirmed an EF-1 tornado near Salem, Indiana bringing the total to at least four.

Tuesday, NWS officials said preliminary survey results found that another EF-1 tornado, with winds up to 100 mph, touched down near downtown Paoli, Indiana. Crews are still surveying the area, working to confirm whether it was one or two tornadoes that caused destruction to Paoli.

An EF-0 tornado with wind speeds around 85 mph was also confirmed to have caused damage just south of Paoli in Pioneer Mother's Memorial Forest.

On Monday, preliminary survey results also found an EF-1 tornado with wind speeds of 90 mph touched down in northern Dubois County, near the west side of Haysville, Indiana.

Residents there told WHAS11 the damage is some of the worst they've seen in decades, dating back to the 1970s.

Just down Haysville Road, a large family barn storing tractors and boats collapsed under the weight of overnight storms and strong winds.

Credit: WHAS11 News
A large barn in southern Indiana collapsed due to strong severe weather on Aug. 8, 2023.

What the barn's owner, Matt Krempp, called a "well-built structure with concrete block walls" had its roof ripped off. Loose cinder blocks lay scattered across his property.

"It’s pretty overwhelming, and what I’m struggling with the most is how to balance work and running a business -- and putting the pieces back together, as well," Krempp said.

Krempp represents generations in his family who have owned, worked and lived on that property. Ultimately, he's counting his blessings.

"I'm grateful my family is safe and my house didn’t get hit," he said.

Credit: Reuben Montgomery
Storm damage in Dubois County, near Hillman and Cuzco. Aug. 7, 2023.

Meanwhile, strong winds also ripped apart homes in Jasper, Indiana. Drone footage showed one family's red SUV exposed at the center of the wreckage, with the house's roof completely peeled off. 

Farmer Donald Freyberger described the moments as "destruction in a snap of a finger." His shed was destroyed in the storms.

Freyberger's shed, which he had built 25 years ago, was long used to store bales of hay and protect it from the weather. Now, the hay is left wet from the rain and potentially ruined.

"It made me a lot of money over the years, and it’s pretty sad because it’s gone now," Freyberger said.

Dubois County EMA told WHAS11 it hasn't responded to any calls of injuries, but said crews are dealing with damage to homes, trees down and power outages.

Later Monday, the NWS said survey crews found evidence of either one or two tornadoes near Paoli, Indiana.

WHAS11 sent crews to Paoli on Monday morning and found the town was hit hard by the storms.

Paoli's town square had several buildings with their roofs stripped off and even partially destroyed. The damage was so severe, schools were canceled Monday.

Thousands of people in Kentuckiana were without power on Monday after the storms rolled through. A majority of the outages have since been restored.

This story may be updated.

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