Tornado reported in Indiana

INDIANAPOLIS — Severe thunderstorms possibly including tornadoes on Sunday battered parts of Indiana, causing sporadic damage and some flooding.

The National Weather Service, citing a ham radio report, reported a small tornado touched down and caused damage at about 2 p.m. Sunday a few miles southeast of Portland, or about 75 miles northeast of Indianapolis.

The Jackson County Sheriff’s Department reported storms blew down trees and power lines in that area about 50 miles north of Louisville, Ky.

Madison County Emergency Management reported multiple areas in the county saw downed trees with utility lines and farm structures damaged from the storms. Several roads also experienced flooding because of the heavy rains.

Between Duke Energy and Indiana Michigan Power, roughly 17,000 Indiana customers were without power as of 4:30 p.m. Roughly 11,000 of those customers were in the Muncie area.

A historic Indiana gym in downtown Muncie was damaged, with an apparent gaping hole in the west side of the building.

The Flash Flood Watch continued into the night and this morning as forecasts called for heavy rainfall to affect parts of central Indiana.

Two to three inches of rain were possible over the watch area through this morning with locally higher amounts.

Earlier, in northern Indiana, the weather service said heavy rains sent water flowing over roads in North Webster.