Search and rescue efforts are underway after a line of tornadoes tore through Ohio and Indiana overnight Tuesday leaving widespread damage across the Greater Dayton area.
At least half a dozen communities from eastern Indiana through Dayton suffered damage, according to the National Weather Service.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine held a press conference Tuesday, saying the state will do whatever it can to held assess and rebuild areas affected. DeWine said he talked with Vice President Mike Pence who said he will also make sure resources are made available. DeWine will travel to Trotwood, Beavercreek and Dayton Tuesday.
One death has been confirmed in Celina, Ohio, Mayor Jeff Hazel announced. Hazel said 81-year-old resident Melvin Delhanna died as a direct result of a vehicle being picked up by winds and “shoved” into his house. Hazel said seven other injuries were reported, three of those being serious injuries.
Dayton Fire Chief Jeffrey Payne said there have been no fatalities and only three minor injuries have been reported so far in the area. Payne said victims did have to be pulled out of houses, buildings and cars.
Dayton officials issued a system-wide boil advisory Tuesday morning for the city of Dayton and Montgomery County.
The boil advisory will not affect Oakwood, Huber Heights, Miamisburg, West Carrolton, Englewood and Union, officials said. Officials are asking residents to conserve water.
The communities in Ohio hit the hardest include Northridge, Trotwood, Riverside and Beavercreek.
The Ohio Department of Transportation used snow plows to remove debris off the highway after The National Weather Service confirmed a “large and dangerous tornado” hit near Trotwood.
Transportation spokesman Matt Bruning said its crews were using several plows to scrape debris off to the side of southbound Interstate 75. Officials said multiple U.S. Routes and State Routes remain closed due to the damage.
“We’ll do a more thorough cleaning after we get lanes opened,” he told the Associated Press via text early Monday. He said tow trucks eventually will have to deal with damaged vehicles along the roadway, too. He said other crews are also clearing debris northwest of Dayton in Mercer and Darke counties.
In Montgomery County, which includes Dayton, Sheriff Rob Streck is asking people to stay off the roads in areas affected by the storm. His office said many roads in those areas are impassable because of damage.
Another suspected tornado near Vandalia, Ohio, crossed the path of the first tornado, lifting debris in the air, the service said.
In Beavercreek, Ohio, the mayor has declared a state of emergency due to damage from the possible tornadoes. Winds were so strong that residents said a car was picked up by the storm, and windows were knocked out due to powerful winds.
Dayton Power and Light is reporting currently about 60,000 people in the area are without power.
Red Cross has opened up shelters across the area for residents who have experienced damage to their homes:
- The Ridge Church, 7555 Brookville Phillipsburg Rd in Brookville, OH.
- Morton Middle School 8555 Peters Pike, Vandalia, OH.
- First Baptist Church of Kettering 3939 Swigart Rd Dayton, OH.
- Corinthian Baptist Church at 700 S. James H. McGee Blvd.
Dayton-area YMCA facilities are open to anyone in need of showers and recharging of cell phones, officials said.
The last time Dayton saw a storm of this magnitude was the hurricane in 2008.
The National Weather Service said crews will be evaluating the areas Tuesday to see how long the tornadoes were on the ground and what class the tornadoes were.
Dayton officials said crews are in the midst of secondary searches with the help of Ohio Task Force 1, and regional strike teams. Officials said there have been 45 EMS runs and 65 fire runs since Monday night. The runs included rescue efforts, power line damage and welfare checks.
A tally of storm reports posted online by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Storm Prediction Center shows that 14 suspected tornadoes touched down in Indiana, 10 in Colorado and nine in Ohio. Six suspected tornadoes were reported in Iowa, five in Nebraska, four in Illinois, three in Minnesota, while one suspected tornado was reported in Idaho in the West.
