CLARK COUNTY, Ohio — In the early morning hours of Wednesday, an EF2 tornado tore through parts of Clark County.
Later in the afternoon, Gov. Mike DeWine held a press conference in Springfield where extensive damage was caused to homes.
"I woke up this morning to my emergency alert on my phone, warning me that a tornado was coming,” Clark County Commissioner Melanie Flax Wilt said.
Wilt woke up Wednesday morning like many others across Ohio, in a panic, with an emergency alert blaring to seek shelter, as tornado sirens sounded.
"Considering the path that the tornado took, we are very fortunate,” Wilt said.
Fortunate is just one of the words being used to describe a dangerous situation that could have been much worse.
"You know it's a miracle,” DeWine said.
DeWine called the aftermath on Ridge Road in Springfield a miracle, after hearing no one was seriously injured in the storm. In the area, many trees were down, some even fell on homes. Down wires and telephone poles could also be seen along the residential street, along with boarded up windows that had been shattered and rooftops torn off.
"It's been a very, very tough day certainly for this family, this couple and for other families in the Miami Valley as well,” DeWine said.
For some families like Shojiu Otani, his fiancée and her two kids, a phone alarm did not alert them to the threat.
"One quick strong wind hit our wall, house shakes, not even five seconds, everything is gone,” Otani said.
Otani said the tornado hit around 5 a.m. They all took cover under a blanket, including their dog, and no one was injured. He then went outside to check out the damage.
"The whole entire roof was gone and the ceiling came down on us,” Otani said.
Instead of focusing on all that was lost, he and his family is focusing on the good that remains.
"It's all object you know. We just cannot be any happier we all didn't get hurt, nobody in the hospital, that's a good thing,” Otani said.
Otani added he is thankful for all the support they’ve received.
"We are so fortunate that a lot of people stopped by bringing water, food. And we are so grateful for that,” Otani said.
"The thing that is always impressive to me is how people come together to help their neighbors,” DeWine said.
DeWine added anyone still needing assistance following the tornadoes should contact their specific county’s emergency management agency.