At 8:15 p.m. on Wednesday, March 19th, residents in Bartholomew County were alerted that severe storms were on track to hit their area. Shortly before 9 p.m., the tornado touched down near I-65 in Ogilville, barreling northeast toward Hartsville before dissipating. The tornado lasted about 15 minutes, moving 55 mph with wind peaking at 112 mph.

In the early hours of Thursday morning, residents began surveying the damage.  Several barns in the tornado’s direct path suffered severe impacts. For example, metal siding and roofs were scattered into nearby fields. Silo metal was also ripped from its location, leaving corn in piles across farms. Farm owners estimate the damage resulted in a multi-million dollar loss.

Thankfully, home damage was minimal. The worst-case scenario involved blown-out roofs and windows, broken utility poles, and twisted transmission towers. Many residents also found several uprooted trees scattered across their yards. Despite the property damage, no injuries were reported.

Logan Craig, a resident affected by the storm, reflected on the close call, “…a little bit farther this direction it probably would’ve been a lot worse, It was close, so we got lucky.” EMA Director Shannon Cooke is grateful no one was hurt; “Houses and vehicles and things like that can be replaced, we can’t replace the lives.”

The tornado’s complete path began near I-65 on Country Road 625S. It then moved east toward State Road 11 and Country Road 650S, where the most severe damage occurred. The storm continued into the Rosstown area, damaging structures on State Road 7 and U.S. 31. The storm finally completed its path on Country Road 525E and State Road 46.

Writer’s personal experience: I witnessed the storm first-hand at my house in Ogilville, just south of Columbus. I remember watching TV with my dad when the alerts started to go off. My dad began to watch the radar and realized it was coming straight for our house. I sat on the ledge of the bathtub, my dad on the toilet, and my dog lay close to my feet. About five days prior, we also had severe weather warnings, but it ended up just being heavy rain. I thought it was going to be similar, just heavy rain and thunderstorms. However, my thoughts quickly changed after my dad told me to get in the bathtub. I would later find out he heard a train-like sound, which is a comparison to the sounds of a tornado. The alarms began to go off again and that is when it really sat in that something serious could happen. At that moment, I was more worried about my dad, dog, and pigs outside than myself. We sat in the bathtub for about 10 minutes before the storm began to calm down. There was no damage to my family’s house or barns, which I am sincerely grateful for. On Thursday afternoon, my dad and I drove around looking at the damage to our close neighbor’s property. My attention was caught when I noticed that every tree fell opposite of the houses, the worst damage was to the barns, and no house was severely damaged. Everyone has their own beliefs, but as for me, I believe the Lord was looking out for my family and close neighbors affected by the storms. I feel terrible for the families with damage, but happy that everyone survived.

After Wednesday night, I realized how quickly life can change. If the storm started at the beginning of my road rather than the end, my worries could have been turned into reality. I now hold an even deeper appreciation for the safety of my family and community members. It is a reminder to always cherish the ones you love.