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Gen Con Drenched: Tornado Warnings Hit Gaming Convention
3 Aug
Summary
- Tornado warnings issued for downtown Indianapolis during Gen Con.
- Heavy rains caused significant ceiling leaks inside the convention center.
- The convention resumed Sunday after the severe weather passed without injuries.
Thousands of tabletop gaming enthusiasts at Gen Con in Indianapolis experienced a surreal scene on Saturday when intense weather prompted tornado warnings. The National Weather Service issued alerts for central Indiana, including the downtown area and the Indiana Convention Center, where the convention was taking place. Attendees were instructed to move to safer areas within the facility as the severity of the weather became apparent.
Contributing to the unsettling atmosphere, torrential rains caused multiple leaks through the convention center's ceiling, with water cascading onto tables and potentially damaging valuable gaming materials. Videos shared online depicted staff attempting to manage the flooding with large bins. The event, founded by Gary Gygax in 1968, moved to Indianapolis in 2003 and is a major gathering for the tabletop community.
Fortunately, the severe weather warnings were lifted after several hours, and the situation returned to normal. The remainder of the convention proceeded as scheduled on Sunday, with no injuries reported from the frightening weather incident.
