Ohio Governor Mike DeWine declared a state of emergency on Saturday (August 10) for eight counties in the northeastern part of the state after the strong storm Debby wreaked havoc and caused significant damage.
“Declaring a state of emergency will enable the state government to provide rapid assistance to these communities,” DeWine said in a statement.
Earlier that day, Chris Ronayne, the county executive of Cuyahoga County, urged DeWine to declare a state of emergency due to the need for additional resources and funding.
The emergency declaration by DeWine applies to eight counties, including Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, Lorain, Portage, Summit, and Trumbull.
Debby storm brought widespread destruction and power shortages to these areas. As of Sunday before press time, Ohio has the highest number of power outages with 43,428 households affected, followed by Oklahoma (11,405), New York (9,533), Vermont (8,235), and California (4,907).
DeWine stated that in addition to declaring a state of emergency, he has instructed the state’s director of emergency management to request the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to come to the region for damage assessments.
Debby storm hit northeastern Ohio on Thursday (August 8) evening, bringing over 5 inches of rain to some areas within two to four hours, causing severe flooding and related issues.
Prior to this, a series of storms brought four tornadoes to the Cleveland area of the state. The tornadoes toppled trees and power lines, resulting in multiple power outages.
“Workers from Ohio and other areas are working tirelessly to restore power to customers,” DeWine said. “For everyone’s safety, please give them enough working space when workers are in your vicinity.”