Officials: 2 tornadoes hit Saturday in Indiana County
Two tornadoes touched down in Indiana County over the weekend, damaging a home and uprooting trees, the National Weather Service confirmed Monday.
Meteorologists said a tornado with a wind speed of up to 90 mph touched down just before 8:30 p.m. Saturday along High Rise Drive in Burrell Township. It tore a portion of the roof off a home as well as several bricks at the intersection of Route 217.
Tracking east along High Rise for about three-quarters of a mile, it cut a path 35 yards wide — uprooting or snapping the tops or large branches off about 20 hardwood trees and half as many softwood trees, according to a preliminary statement from the weather service.
About five minutes later, another tornado with a wind speed of up to 70 mph touched down at Goral and Coal roads in Center Township, west of Homer City. It caused similar damage to at least 10 trees, including hardwood trees and dead softwood trees.
So much damage in Burrell Township, Indiana Co. after a confirmed tornado came through here on Saturday...
A lot of people cleaning up here today, we talked to a few. I’ll have more at 5. #WPXI https://t.co/k5m6AL8qso pic.twitter.com/cfhfn2aTB9— Melanie Marsalko (@WPXIMelanie) May 27, 2019
No one was hurt in either of the tornadoes, the first to strike Indiana County since April 2002.
Jeff Himler is a TribLive reporter covering Greater Latrobe, Ligonier Valley, Mt. Pleasant Area and Derry Area school districts and their communities. He also reports on transportation issues. A journalist for more than three decades, he enjoys delving into local history. He can be reached at jhimler@triblive.com.
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