• LATEST: 2 tornadoes confirmed in Jay County, 1 in Delaware County; high school hit to remain closed
• CEO of construction business hit by tornado: ‘Try to turn it into a blessing’
• Jay County tornado severely damages teacher’s home

PORTLAND, Ind. (WISH) — Jay County Junior-Senior High School and several nearby houses in the city of Portland received roof damage when a storm that reportedly produced a landspout tornado hit Sunday night, authorities say.

In addition to the roof damage, trees also were damaged at the school and homes, the National Weather Service says.

Katie Clark, the public information officer and director of digital learning for Jay County schools, told News 8 by email, “This evening, Jay County Jr-Sr High was impacted by a tornado and sustained significant damage in a portion of the building. There have been no reports of injuries associated with this incident. As a result, the Jay School Corporation will be closed tomorrow, September 23rd, 2024, (no eLearning / Remote Learning).

“We are currently conducting a thorough assessment of the site with local emergency management officials. We will provide an update tomorrow afternoon.”

Portland sits near the Ohio border. The Jay County seat is about a 1-hour, 40-minute drive northeast of downtown Indianapolis, and a 1-hour, 15-minute drive south of Fort Wayne.

Meanwhile, a large commercial building in Delaware County received roof and partial structural damage from the same storm. Kyle Johnson with Delaware County Emergency Management shared photos of the damage to the building in the community of Cammack, which is part of the city of Yorktown.

Yorktown Fire Department says the builder TK Constructors owns the damaged building, and no injuries were reported.

Yorktown is west of the Delaware County seat of Muncie, and about an hour’s drive northeast of downtown Indianapolis on I-69.

Delaware County Emergency Management says public safety personnel about 7:30 p.m. Sunday reported what appeared to be a funnel cloud in the western part of the county. As a result, the agency took the rare step to activate its outdoor sirens although the National Weather Service had not issued a tornado warning.

The storm hit the Portland area at 7:50 p.m. Sunday, the weather service has estimated.

The weather service office based in Indianapolis will survey the tornado in Delaware County, while the weather service office for northern Indiana based in Syracuse will conduct a tornado surveys in Jay County.

No tornado warnings were issued Sunday in Indiana.

Just after 8 p.m. Sunday, the National Weather Service at Indianapolis issued a special statement about an observed landspout, The alert covered parts of Delaware and Randolph counties.

The weather service just after 8:15 p.m. Sunday also issued an alert for a possible landspout in an area extending from northeastern Marion County, into Fishers in Hamilton County, and eastward into Madison, Hancock and Henry counties.

A second weather service alert for a possible landspout came just before 10 p.m. Sunday for an area along the border for Henry and Rush counties, including the communities of Spiceland, Lewisville and Straughn.

A landspout is a type of tornado that forms over land and is characterized by a rapidly rotating column of air that touches the ground and a cloud.

• Share damage damage reports, and your videos and photos with WISH-TV by email: newsdesk@wishtv.com
• Storm on Friday night damaged school in Kokomo; no classes Monday

News release

“A severe storm affected Jay County, specifically the area of Beacon Heights and the west side of Portland. Responders have completed a search of affected areas. At this time, no injuries have been reported.

“Multiple houses in the Beacon Heights addition and the Jay County Junior/ Senior High School have received damage. Additional damage has been reported on the west side of Portland. Jay County REMC and Indiana Michigan Power are working to restore power to those affected.

“Jay County Emergency Management Agency, along with National Weather Service Northern Indiana, will begin damage assessments at daylight on September 23, 2024.

“Jay County Emergency Management Agency has been in contact with American Red Cross and have them on standby to set up a shelter, if needed.

“The Jay School Corporation has released a statement advising the entire corporation will be closed September 23, 2024 with no e-learning.

“There will be no 1st shift at Tyson Mexican Original on September 23, 2024. Employees need to
report for 2nd shift.

“Next press release will be issued on September 23, 2023 at 12:00 PM”

Jay County Emergency Management Agency at 10:59 p.m. Sept. 22, 2042