Tornadoes Leave Trail Of Destruction Across Ohio, Indiana

A string of tornadoes unleashing their fury across Ohio and Indiana overnight ripped apart communities and left a wide swath of debris as a two-week wave of severe weather continued its unrelenting assault on the nation’s midsection.

An area around Dayton, in Ohio’s Montgomery County, saw the brunt of the latest damage when the sun came up Tuesday.

"A large, dangerous tornado touched down last night in northwest Montgomery County," the county said in a statement. "We are focused on supporting life-saving measures, such as shutting down gas lines or locating people who are trapped by debris."

Dayton Fire Chief Jeffrey Payne said no fatalities and just a few minor injuries had been reported. Considering the amount of property damage, that was "pretty miraculous," he said. Urban Search and Rescue teams from Columbus and Cincinnati were helping local first responders picking through rubble in search of survivors, Payne said.

In Celina, north of Dayton, Kylie Post said her home was spared when an apparent tornado roared through. She has no basement, so she and her son huddled under a mattress in a bathtub.

"We heard the tornado sirens and then it got really quiet," she said. "Next, it sounded almost like a train was near us that lasted for only a few minutes."

Apparent tornadoes also touched down in at least six other states over the Memorial Day weekend. The Midwest has been hammered by scores of tornadoes and heavy storms since mid-May, leaving at least nine dead and a trail of damage from high winds and flooding.

The weather service issued a string of tornado watches and warnings deep into the night as the unsettled weather stretched east from Indiana into Ohio, many along the Interstate 70 corridor that cuts through the heart of the two states.