The National Weather Service has confirmed that an EF1 tornado struck Bourbon Wednesday evening.
The tornado touched down southeast of Rutland and quickly moved northeast, traveling nearly 18 miles. It caused significant damage to wooded areas and private property, uprooting trees and damaging structures.
The northeast side of Bourbon took the brunt of the damage. Maddi Johnson, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, said the area experienced the most severe destruction.
“In Bourbon, specifically, there was structural damage to several homes, as well as a manufacturing factory on the southwest side of town,” Johnson said.
Johnson also pointed to other signs of the tornado’s strength, noting that at least three semis were flipped over on U.S. 30, just north of Bourbon.
The tornado continued its northeast path, knocking down trees and power poles until it reached just north of Etna Green in Kosciusko County, where it dissipated.
