BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (WISH) — About 26,000 Duke Energy customers in Indiana remained without power at 10 p.m. Wednesday after a powerful line of storms caused widespread damage on Tuesday.

As a result, Monroe County has set up cooling stations for people who are without power.

Power outages in Indiana peaked at nearly 103,000 about 5:30 p.m. Tuesday. Storm Track 8 Chief Meteorologist Ashley Brown says a gust of 78 mph was reported at 4:12 p.m. Tuesday in Bloomington.

Local and state officials say the National Weather Service has not confirmed a tornado, although straight-line winds reportedly damaged homes in Clay, Monroe, Owen and Vigo counties.

Visit in211.org and click on “Damage Reporting” to submit a report. Those without internet access can dial 211 or 866-211-9966 for help.

Statewide, more than 30,000 remained without power at 10 p.m. Wednesday.

Monroe County response

“As of 3 p.m. Wednesday, 36 damage reports in Monroe had been received by Indiana 211. Significant property damage has been reported at the Monroe Lake, and Department of Natural Resources staff have been deployed to remove debris,” the Monroe County Joint Information Center said in a news release.

A later news release added information about bottled water availability, and cleanup crews. Also, a Salvation Army shelter is providing dinner at 111 N. Rogers St. in Bloomington starting at 5 p.m., according to the release issued after 5 p.m. Wednesday.

Due to high heat, Monroe County has established cooling stations for people who don’t have power. Food, showers, and areas for sleep are not available in the cooling stations. Pets are allowed at Monroe Fire Protection District Station 21-Clear Creek, and Monroe Fire Protection District State 29, but the animals must be kept in a kennel or carrier. Availability is first-come, first-served.

Here is the list of cooling stations:

• Bloomington Fire Station 1, 226 S. College Ave..
• Ellettsville Fire Department headquarters, 5080 W. State Road 46.
• Monroe Fire Protection District Station 22-Perry, 3953 S. Kennedy Drive, Bloomington.
• Monroe Fire Protection District Station 21-Clear Creek, 9094 S. Strain Road, Bloomington.
• Monroe Fire Protection District Station 23-Indian Creek, 8019 S. Rockport Road, Bloomington.
• Monroe Fire Protection District Station 25-Bloomington, 5081 N. Old State Road 37, Bloomington.
• Monroe Fire Protection District State 29-Van Buren, 2130 S. Kirby Road, Bloomington.
• Monroe Fire Protection District State 24-Benton, 7606 E. State Road 45, Unionville.

Local disaster declaration in Monroe County

Monroe County commissioners issued a local disaster declaration Tuesday night. The declaration will remain in effect for seven days.

Anyone in need of shelter due to damage to their home is asked to reach out to the county’s Emergency Management Agency at 812-349-2546.

Monroe County residents are encouraged to report storm damage using Indiana 211.

Power outages persist

In Monroe County at 10 p.m. Wednesday, more than 21,700 customers remained without power. About 21,000 of those customers without power are served by Duke Energy, and 700 are served by Utility District of Western Indiana.

In Vigo County, 5,300 remained without power at 10 p.m. Wednesday.

Owen County had more than 1,200 customers without power at 10 p.m. Wednesday.

Duke Energy said Wednesday morning that it was assessing damage and repairs in all of the counties affected by Tuesday’s severe weather. The power provider shared a storm restoration update on its website Wednesday morning:

“A significant weather cell caused extensive damage across portions of the state on Tuesday, with wind gusts up to 65 mph in some areas. The storm uprooted trees, and damaged power lines, poles, and other electrical equipment. Our local crews responded immediately, but inclement weather continued to plague certain parts of the state overnight, slowing the pace of repairs. Additional crews are traveling to the hardest hit counties to provide further assistance.

“Estimated times for restoration in those areas will be shared once we’ve had the opportunity to fully assess the damage. Thank you for your patience. We will continue to provide updates as we progress.”

Travel advisories in place

Travel advisories were in place Wednesday afternoon for Clay, Monroe and Owen counties. The lowest level of local travel advisory, this means that routine travel or activities may be restricted. Drivers should use caution or avoid those areas.

The Monroe County Sheriff’s Department said on social media shortly before 8:30 a.m. Wednesday that the widespread power outages had knocked out many traffic lights. In those cases, the intersections should be treated as a four-way stop.

• Check the latest forecast from the Storm Track 8 weather blog
• Send your storm damage photos to WISHWeatherpics@wishtv.com