Winds alone are not normally associated with the loss of life but a sad reminder of the dangers was seen at the Indianapolis State Fair on Saturday. Powerful thunderstorm winds downed a stage killing five people and injuring dozens while officials appeared to ignore warnings of the impending danger.
The Natural Disasters Examiner wrote in a story on Monday that the warning signs for severe weather in central Indiana were readily apparent as early as two days before the storm.
- For more on the timeline of events that led to this tragedy, see the story on the Natural Disasters Examiner.
The National Weather Service discussed the thunderstorm and high wind dangers in its Hazardous Weather Outlook multiple times. A Severe Thunderstorm Watch was issued hours before and a Warning 10 minutes before.
Despite this, officials at the fair failed to make a timely decision to cancel the Sugarland concert. When the winds, estimated at 50 to 70mph struck, it only took a matter of seconds for the stage’s rigging to collapse. Five people died and more than 40 were injured due to their failure.
The tragedy should serve as a reminder to everyone to pay attention to changing weather. Do not ignore weather watches and warnings, no matter what others are doing. The life you save may be your own.
The video below captures the event with shocking clarity. It may be disturbing for some so viewer discretion is advised.
Our hearts and prayers go out to all those affected by the tragedy.