Tornado Kills 2 in Indiana as Dangerous Storms Continue Across Central US

By Suraj Karowa/ ANW , March 11, 2026

Dangerous storms packing tornadoes and giant hail ripped through the Central US overnight Tuesday into Wednesday, claiming at least two lives and leaving a trail of devastation.

The threat persists today, with over 90 million people from the Gulf Coast to the Mid-Atlantic under risk for severe weather.

In Lake Village, Indiana—a rural community about an hour south of Chicago—an elderly man and woman died when a powerful tornado struck around 7 p.m. Tuesday.

Newton County Coroner confirmed the fatalities, while several others were hospitalized. First responders described “total devastation,” with collapsed houses, trapped residents, loose livestock, and rubble-strewn streets.

Lake Township Volunteer Fire Department spokesperson Lori Postma said the tornado “hit us hard.” Fire Chief Rob Churchill added, “There were houses that were collapsed.

People trapped in houses.” Sheriff Shannon Cothran urged the public in a late-night video: “A lot of damage. Please do not come here. Do not try to help.”

Drone footage showed homes reduced to splinters and debris scattered across neighborhoods.At least 10 tornadoes were reported across Texas, Illinois, and Indiana.

A long-track supercell spawned multiple twisters, including one that tore through Kankakee, Illinois, damaging homes and buildings.

Nine people suffered minor injuries, but no deaths or missing persons were reported, said Kankakee County Chairman Matthew Alexander-Hildebrand.

Resident Brandy Peppin credited a brother’s warning for her survival: “I ran, grabbed my dog… and we rode the tornado out” in a crawl space amid deafening bangs of flying debris.

In Starke County, Indiana—including Knox, where a rare tornado emergency was issued—several structures were damaged but no injuries occurred, per Sheriff’s Chief Deputy Wayne James. Indiana Gov.

Mike Braun mobilized first responders, state officials, and the Red Cross, posting on X: “Maureen and I are praying for the families who lost loved ones and for every Hoosier impacted.”Illinois Gov.

JB Pritzker was briefed and pledged support: “Keeping in our thoughts all Illinoisans impacted… we’ll be here to help them recover.”

Kankakee Sheriff Mike Downey activated the Emergency Operations Center and filed a disaster declaration, advising residents to check on neighbors but avoid travel.

The storms also unleashed monster hail—softball-sized or larger—in Illinois, crushing cars and potentially setting a state record with one 6-inch stone, twice a baseball’s size.

Ongoing Threat WednesdayTornado watches were active Wednesday morning in parts of Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, and Ohio, south of Tuesday’s hardest-hit areas.

Storms pushed east but gained new energy by afternoon, intensifying risks.Over 65 million people from the Gulf Coast to the Ohio Valley and Mid-Atlantic face a Level 2/5 severe storm threat, with 28 million more at Level 1/5.

Cities like Houston, Nashville, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, and Washington, DC, could see impacts. Damaging winds top concerns, alongside possible tornadoes and large hail—though not as extreme as Tuesday’s.

The National Weather Service tracked the systems closely, warning of renewed supercell potential.

Outlook ImprovesSevere risks will ease Thursday as a weather pattern shift blankets the US, offering a break through week’s end.

CNN Meteorologists Briana Waxman and Mary Gilbert noted the change should calm the outbreak.This event underscores the volatile spring weather in the Plains and Midwest, where warm Gulf moisture clashes with jet stream dynamics to fuel outbreaks. Officials continue recovery efforts amid prayers for victims.