Ohio Storms Claim Life as Flooding, Power Outages Batter Midwest
Severe storms and flooding in Ohio have caused at least one death, with Governor DeWine declaring emergencies in Perry and Muskingum counties.
Severe thunderstorms and flooding have swept across the Midwest, leaving at least one person dead in Ohio and hundreds of thousands without power. Governor Mike DeWine confirmed the fatality in the village of Roseville, where emergency responders were unable to reach the individual due to impassable, flooded roads.
DeWine has signed a declaration of emergency for Perry and Muskingum counties, with the expectation that more counties will be added as the situation develops. The governor described the conditions in Roseville, a village of about 1,500 people, as "very, very dangerous," noting that drone surveillance showed the community completely surrounded by water with only a single road remaining open. Residents still in the area have been urged to evacuate.
The severe weather has caused widespread disruption across the state, with more than 290,000 customers losing electricity. The storm system, which is moving eastward from the Dayton area, is expected to bring continued danger. "This is not something that will end tonight," DeWine warned, adding that the state faces the prospect of continuous flooding problems for several days.
Forecasters predict multiple rounds of rain will keep flood hazards in the Ohio Valley through at least early Friday. In Columbus, local government workers were sent home early ahead of the next wave of storms, and a library in nearby Westerville was forced to close after rain poured into its atrium. The storm system has also caused significant damage further west, cutting power to more than half a million customers in the Chicago area and northwestern Indiana.