BUNKER HILL – The National Weather Service has determined a second tornado hit Miami County on Memorial Day during an outbreak of severe weather across the region.
The agency said the EF-1 twister briefly touched down for 4 minutes, starting at 7:34 p.m., and traveled just over a half-mile near the intersection of 150 East and 550 South.
Most of the damage caused by the tornado occurred in the area of 550 South, where it first blew off shingles and siding at a residence and knocked down a fence. A TV tower also was bent halfway up.
Another house sustained damage to shingles and siding as the tornado crossed 550 South, before it snapped tree trunks near the end of its path.
Weather service officials determined the tornado touched down after Miami County EMA Director Kris Marks provided video of the developing twister northeast of Bunker Hill, along with documentation of damage. Officials estimated the top wind speeds at between 100 and 105 mph.
The tornado landed less than 20 minutes before a more severe EF-3 tornado ripped through the northern part of Miami County, flattening two houses and causing extensive damage to a hog farm and other property in its path.
The weather service has determined that tornado touched ground at 7:51 p.m. about one-and-a-half miles north of Macy, near the Miami-Fulton county line, and traveled east about 14 miles.
At its largest, the tornado path stretched a half-mile wide and had a satellite tornado rotating around it, according to eyewitnesses and surveyed damage. Multiple vortices also were observed by eyewitnesses.
Utility crews continue to work on cleaning up two large transmission towers that were torn down by the tornado near Pleasant Hill Road.
by Carson Gerber (2019, June 4) Kokomo Tribune
