Karmactive Staff
The skies darkened over Monroe and Greene Counties on May 16, 2025, as powerful tornadoes tore through neighborhoods and businesses. Folks in Clear Creek and South Walnut Street woke up the next morning to a changed landscape – about 75 homes damaged, roofs torn away, and trees snapped like toothpicks.
The morning after revealed what Mother Nature can do in just minutes. The Clear Creek Post Office stood roofless, the Ranchero Motel partly collapsed, and families picking through what remained of their belongings. Five neighbors were hurt, thankfully none critically. Among them, a 96-year-old man who suffered a head injury but is expected to recover.
“We also responded to and assisted with heavy storm damage to West State Road 45, Stanford Road, Ison Road, Elwren Road, and Harmony Road areas ( the west side of Monroe County) for numerous trees down, power lines down, and property damage.” shared the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office.
Weather experts from the National Weather Service counted at least six separate tornadoes touching down across Monroe County that evening. Teams in white government SUVs have been measuring damage paths, checking wind patterns in fallen trees, and examining debris scatter patterns all weekend.
They’re working to assign each tornado its Enhanced Fujita (EF) scale rating – the measuring stick for tornado strength. EF0 might take some shingles off your roof, while an EF5 can strip asphalt from roads and level reinforced buildings.
This isn’t Monroe County’s first tornado rodeo. The National Centers for Environmental Information shows the county has weathered multiple tornadoes since records began in 1950. Across Indiana, there are average 22 tornadoes each year, mostly during spring and early summer when warm, moist air collides with cooler, drier air masses.
NOAA scientists have noticed something concerning: “A warmer climate may increase the risk of off-season tornadoes.” Our traditional tornado season might be stretching, with more twisters possible during months we used to consider safe.
When the sirens stopped and the all-clear came, many families found themselves with nowhere to go. The American Red Cross quickly opened doors at Sherwood Oaks Christian Church. “The shelter welcomes all impacted community members, offering food, water, and a safe place to stay,” according to city officials.
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The trauma of living through a tornado goes beyond physical injuries. The Disaster Distress Helpline at 1-800-985-5990 has counselors standing by 24/7 for anyone feeling overwhelmed by what happened – from kids having nightmares to seniors reliving past disasters.
The federal government has officially declared this a disaster area. FEMA has set up a Disaster Recovery Center in Monroe County through May 20. If your home or business was damaged, register for assistance as soon as possible – these programs have strict deadlines.
Local volunteer groups are offering community support programs for everything from debris cleanup to temporary housing. The American Red Cross continues providing hot meals, clean water, and case managers to help navigate the long road to recovery.
When weather radios blare warnings, knowing what to do saves lives. “In general, get as low as you can. A basement below ground level or the lowest floor of a building offers the greatest safety. Put as many walls between yourself and the outside as possible. Avoid windows at all cost!” say National Weather Service.
Roger Edwards from NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center shares a hopeful statistic: survival rates top 99% even in violent tornadoes when people follow safety guidelines. “Extremely violent EF5 tornadoes are very rare, though.” Edwards explains.
Every home should have an emergency kit ready to grab. Pack water, canned food, a manual can opener, flashlights, fresh batteries, medications, and comfort items to last at least three days. Don’t forget food and supplies for pets, too.
Indiana’s 2020 Residential Code now requires stronger connections between roofs and walls, and encourages building safe rooms that can withstand even EF4 and EF5 tornado winds. For older homes, storm-resilient design upgrades like hurricane straps and reinforced garage doors can make a difference when high winds strike.
National Weather Service teams continue measuring damage paths, examining debris patterns, and calculating wind speeds to complete their assessment of what happened on May 16.
