CINCINNATI, Ohio— Several strong storms went through southwest Ohio late last night, causing tornado warnings across the area.
- Severe storms warranting tornado warnings went through southwest Ohio Wednesday night.
- Milford and Miami Township has significant damage
- Damage included trees down, trees on homes, power lines down and roofs blown off
Strong storms whipped through Milford on Wednesday night causing widespread damage including trees uprooted onto homes, even roofs off of buildings.
It’s a lot to take in. Trees in half. Cars damaged. Homes in disarray.
“I forget social distancing because I just want to go around and hug everybody that has to wake up to this today," Claire Corcoran a Clermont County Commissioner said.
In Miami Township, this home now has a tree on top of it. The homeowner says it’s overwhelming. She’s especially thankful for the friends and family willing to help.
“I’d be lost without it," Jeanette Bell the homeowner said. "I don’t know what I would do without it. It’s just a lot to take in right now.”
Neighbors say the storm sounded like a train and came on very quickly- before the sirens were even able to go off.
“There was no extra seconds," Renee Gautier a neighbor said. "Once we jumped in the closet it was all around us. You just hear it and feel it, the house shaking.”
The timing for the strong storms is probably the worst it could be, while many Ohioans are struggling during this coronavirus pandemic.
“There’s all this craziness and uncertainty then for it to be paired with something like this," Gautier said. "I mean I looked at my roommate and I said after it was done I said 'Boy, you’re not kidding. It really is amazing how life can just change in a blink of an eye.'”
“To see this kind of damage, especially to one of our churches who serves people and has helped out through the terrible virus we’re going through, it’s horrible to see that they have to wake up to this," Corcoran said.
But neighbors have come together to help clean up their yards and streets.
“It means a lot, it means a whole lot," Bell said. "All of the neighbors have come over and checked on us because when they’ve seen this, this is the neighborhood tree, everyone loved my tree. And everyone came over to make sure that everyone was okay."
“It’s a sad time," Corcoran said. "But it’s also a good time for people to pull together, come out, help somebody pick up sticks and just take care of each other.”
And these neighbors are counting their blessings that it wasn’t worse.
“Houses and property can be replaced and fixed," Gautier said. "But not lives. So very thankful.”
The National Weather Service in Wilmington released a statement about the storms saying, “Under normal circumstances, surveying damage so widespread would take out staff several days. We ask for your patience as we navigate survey attempts over such a large area while being mindful of social distancing.”