OHIO, USA — Gov. Mike DeWine announced Thursday that the state has asked the Federal Emergency Management Agency to assess the damage on impacted homeowners, renters and businesses in the 11 counties hit by tornadoes last week.
Following the devastation of the tornadoes, DeWine declared a state of emergency for Logan, Auglaize, Mercer, Darke, Miami, Union, Delaware, Licking, Hancock, Crawford and Richland counties.
Six FEMA teams will inspect and assess the damage in all 11 counties on Tuesday, March 26. The assessments are meant to identify the type and extent of disaster damages to the structures impacted and assess whether federal resources are needed.
“Ohioans are resilient. When I toured the damage at Indian Lake, I heard over and over again from the residents I talked to about their resolve to rebuild. Having FEMA assess the damage is the next step in helping the affected communities recover,” said DeWine.
On March 14, severe weather brought eight tornadoes to Ohio with varying severities. An EF3 tornado struck the Indian Lake community in Logan County, killing three people and injuring 27 others.
The NWS said the tornado was on the ground for more than 45 minutes, starting in Auglaize County and ending in Logan County, with wind speeds reaching 155 mph.
The storms also caused damage in Indiana, Kentucky and Arkansas.