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March 2 marks 8-year anniversary of Henryville tornado

On March 2, 2012, a deadly tornado outbreak hit five Southern Indiana counties, resulting in 11 deaths.

HENRYVILLE, Ind. — March 2 marks the eighth anniversary of a deadly tornado outbreak that resulted in 11 Kentuckiana deaths.

An EF-4 tornado first touched down in Washington County, Indiana, on March 2, 2012, destroying parts of Southern Indiana. The towns of New Pekin and Henryville were hit especially hard before the tornado began to weaken and travel into Trimble County, Kentucky.

Jefff Hurst of Borden spoke with WHAS11 in 2017, talking about how his and his son's homes were hit by the 2012 tornado.

“My son made it down to school and told me they got hit, but they were safe, that’s the main thing," Hurst said.

While nine people were inside Budroe's Restaurant in Henryville, a school bus barreled through the front of the building. Surveillance footage showed 11 students getting off the bus just moments before it hit the restaurant.

Video showed several homes moved completely off their foundation and schools and churches demolished.

WHAS11 spoke to residents who detailed the storm and their community's work to bounce back from the devastation five years after the outbreak.

“Henryville has big hearts...and everybody just hung together. We helped everybody. That’s the way it’s got to be," Budroe’s Restaurant co-owner Sherman Sykes said.

Remembering those who died:

Washington County -

  • Joe Babcock, 21
  • Moriah Brough, 20
  • Jaydon Babcock, 2
  • Angel Babcock, 15 months
  • Kendall Babcock, 2 months

Clark County -

  • Wayne Hunter, 62

Scott County -

  • Christianus Govers, 72

Jefferson County -

  • Terry Jackson, 70
  • Carol Jackson, 70
  • Daylynn Jackson, 4
  • John K. Poyner, 30

RELATED: MARCH 2ND TORNADO OUTBREAK: 5 years later

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