Local officials are still assessing storm damage from the possible tornado that blew through our area at around 8 p.m. tonight.

Many area roads and streets are closed, blocked with trees and downed power lines. The Columbus Fire Department urges you to stay inside your home and not to inspect storm damage because power lines could be tangled up in any downed trees or branches.

Bartholomew County REMC is reporting that a line of poles fell down along State Road 36, near Rock Creek Elementary school and the Grandview and Ogilville substations were without power as of about 9:30 p.m. That took down power to all REMC members in the southwestern portion of the county. They have crews working to repair the damage.

Duke Energy was reporting more than 4,000 outages around Columbus as of 10:30 p.m.

Many stoplights are without power. The Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department reminds you that if you come to an inactive traffic light, treat it as a four-way stop.