SHELBY, Ohio - Nearly one week after a tornado swept through Shelby, the mayor of the Richland County community says the city is coming together to help rebuild.
In a matter of minutes, many lives in the city of Shelby changed forever. An EF2 twister hit the town on Sunday, April 14, injuring six people.
“We have a lot of families coming to grip with what happened,” Shelby Mayor Steve Schag said.
“I can’t imagine you know being down in that basement and hearing all the noises above you and then come out when the coast is clear and just see the devastation around you.”
Mayor Steve Schag says the city of Shelby, located about 70 miles north of Columbus, is no stranger to severe weather. He says the town has seen its fair share of flooding and strong winds, but the recent tornado was the ultimate test for this community.
“I think personally I think this has made us a little more cognizant of what weather patterns can do in a hurry,” Schag said.
The Mayor, currently in his fifth year, says In the moments after the tornado his community stepped up helping one another salvage what they could and working to rebuild.
“We did a lot of cleanup in one week and hats off to all those that went out to volunteered and the Mennonite community has really stepped up in the rural areas.”
Monday morning, members of various city and county agencies are meeting to evaluate their response to the tornado and make any necessary changes to their emergency plan.