No serious injuries reported in Bloomington storm that left thousands without power

No serious injuries were reported as a result of high winds and heavy rains that tore down trees and power lines around Monroe County Tuesday afternoon.

The county commissioners declared a disaster status at 8 p.m. Tuesday. Residents with damage to their homes or property are encouraged to call 211 to report the situation and seek help.

Justin Baker, deputy director of Monroe County’s Emergency Management office, said the agency has embarked on damage assessments in the wake of a storm that left more than 40,000 households and businesses without electric power.

He said IU Health Bloomington Hospital reported the emergency room treated no one with serious injuries connected to the storm.

Wednesday morning, Baker was in the process of opening cooling stations at local fire stations where residents can seek refuge from the heat and charge cell phones and other devices.

He said temperatures shouldn’t go into the 90s over the next few days, but people with health conditions and older residents may struggle without help from air conditioning and fans to stay cool.

He suggested filling up car gas tanks so vehicles can serve as a place to cool off and to charge phones.

Baker has simple advice for people riding out the store aftermath. “Try to stay home if you don’t have to go out, and just be patient,” he said, as crews work to restore power and remove downed trees in multiple areas.

“There’s a lot of tree damage caused by wind and heavy rain, and it’s pretty widespread, not really centered anywhere,” he said. “Most of the damage is in the city area, and all along Curry Pike, and along Moores Creek (Road), in the northwest part of the city and also the southern part.”

Baker said American Red Cross workers are working with health-compromised individuals to make sure they have access to power and other necessities related to their care.

Volunteers will be going around today assessing damage and advising residents on how to go about seeking help, Baker said Wednesday morning. “Right now, I can’t give a complete picture of the damage because we are in the processing of assessing that.”

“If you can stay home, stay home,” Baker advised. “Understand that power outages may be extended because of the number of power lines and trees down. And if your house was damaged in any way, call 211 to report that.”

He said people without power can spend time outside in the shade or go to public places, such as the library or YMCA, for a respite. “With the storm, the temperatures have cooled down some and it’s going to be a little bit cooler the next couple of days.”

The Bloomington Police Department also encourages people to stay off the roads today.

Power outages across town means traffic signals are not working at many major intersections, causing long delays. Intersections with non-working signals are to be treated as 4-way stops.

And since some gas stations are without power, there may be long lines at stations that are open.

“Please exercise caution when navigating through town and take care to avoid downed trees and power lines,” a BPD news release advises. “We expect more inclement weather later today, so if you can, we encourage folks to stay home. Please stay safe.”

Contact H-T reporter Laura Lane at llane@heradlt.com or 812-318-5967.