Columbus, Ohio — Ohio’s governor has declared a state of emergency in 11 central Ohio counties that were hit by severe weather last week.
Governor Mike DeWine also activated the Ohio National Guard to help officials in one county, Logan County, where three deaths were confirmed, clear storm debris on public property. DeWine announced the emergency declaration on Sunday.
The declaration also covers Auglaize, Crawford, Darke, Delaware, Hancock, Licking, Mercer, Miami, Richland and Union counties. It orders all relevant state departments and agencies to lend their services, equipment, supplies and personnel to assist in response and recovery efforts, the governor’s office said.
Thursday night’s storms claimed three lives in the Indian Lake area of Logan County, one of the hardest hit regions.
The storms also left trails of destruction in parts of Kentucky, Indiana and Arkansas. In one Indiana community, about 40 people were injured and dozens of homes were damaged. Tornadoes were also reported in Illinois and Missouri.
The National Weather Service confirmed nine tornadoes in Ohio, including an EF-3 tornado that started in southern Auglaize County near Fryburg and moved through the Lakeview area of northern Logan County. Forecasters say EF-3 tornadoes could reach wind speeds of 139 to 166 miles per hour.
EF-2 tornadoes — which forecasters say could pack winds of up to 111 to 135 mph (179 to 218 kph) — were confirmed in central Union County and Darke and Miami counties, as well as Crawford/ Richland.