Six Killed, Widespread Damage, in Southern Indiana Storms

Indiana authorities say six people have been killed by tornadoes that ripped through the southern portion of the state.

Spokesman Jet Quillen of the state Joint Information Center says three people died in Jefferson County and three were killed in Scott County as storms battered the state Friday.

Jefferson County Sheriff's Department dispatcher Shelly Jones says houses are missing near the unincorporated town of Chelsea, about 30 miles north of Louisville, Ky.

National Weather Service coordinator Bill Whitlock reports "extreme damage'' in Henryville, a town of about 1,000 people just north of the Kentucky border. Destruction can be seen for miles, and a school district spokeswoman says heavy damage has been reported at Henryville High School.

Clark County Sheriff's Department Maj. Chuck Adams says the nearby town of Marysville is "completely gone."

Meanwhile, Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels says he'll travel to southern Indiana on Saturday to assess the damage.

Daniels said that "Mother Nature has dealt harshly with Indiana" in a statement Friday. He says humans "are no match for Mother Nature at her worst'' despite advances in disaster preparedness, warning systems and responder communications.

He says he hopes officials already knew the full extent of the damage but that wouldn't be certain until Saturday.

The governor's office said Daniels wouldn't travel to the area Friday night because he didn't want to interrupt the rescue efforts.