On April 2, an EF-2 tornado hit Brownsburg, damaging homes and other buildings in its path. Even though only a few BHS students’ neighborhoods were affected, the top windspeed of 120 mph was enough to damage the roofs and fences in those areas, including destroying an entire warehouse.
First, a tornado warning was sent to phones, and tornado sirens were heard in many areas. Students and their families then found shelter in basements and other safe places, while the tornado, which started at 9:09 p.m., began the 9.6 miles it would travel.
Freshman Leila Yarbrough said, “My house was shaking, so my family went downstairs.”
Because a tornado has not hit Brownsburg for a long time, like many families, Yarbrough had never been through a tornado.
“I was very scared,” Yarbrough said.
Around 9:21 p.m., the tornado ended, leaving damaged buildings and debris behind.
Yarbrough said, “After an hour passed, we saw that some of the roof wasn’t there, so now they have to get it fixed.”
Another student, freshman Leona Pearcy, said that her family also went to the basement after hearing sirens near their house. She also explained that her sister was very scared and that her family had to comfort her.
“In a weird way, I was a little excited, because nothing like this happens in Indiana,” Pearcy said.
After the tornado went through Brownsburg, unlike Yarbough, Pearcy’s home was left untouched by it.
“We [heard] about [the destruction] on the news a couple days after,” Pearcy said. “That was really sad.”
Now, as many people work to repair and rebuild after this recent tornado, people continue to stay prepared for whatever may lie ahead.
“Indiana’s crazy,” Pearcy said. “It’s unpredictable.”
