Damage reported in area from storms

Van Wert independent

While Van Wert County escaped with mostly minor damage, neighboring Mercer County – and the City of Celina particularly – didn’t fare as well.

According to Mercer County Emergency Management Director Mike Robbins, several businesses were damaged by what could have either been a small tornado or straight-line winds. “It’s hard to say at this point,” Robbins noted.

Among those businesses damaged were the Aldi supermarket, which had most of its roof taken off and part of a wall collapse, Menards, which had significant roof damage, and some minor damage to the Celina Walmart Supercenter.

Robbins said a number of trees were blown over in the city, while a garage collapsed on vehicles inside and some houses were damage. A barn outside of town was also destroyed, Robbins said, but added there were no injuries reported from the storm.

“We were very lucky,” he added.

According to Van Wert County EMA Director Rick McCoy, there were a number of power outages related to the storm, while smoke was reported at Parkway Local Schools in Rockford. Some damage was also reported in Auglaize County, McCoy said.

Here in Van Wert County, the only damage seen so far was to a small barn in the southeast portion of the county on Ohio 116 that was destroyed by the storm. Power was also out in that area after the storm blew through, McCoy added.

The local EMA director said the National Weather Service will be coming out to survey damage on Wednesday, and to determine whether tornadoes were responsible for any of the damage reported on Tuesday.

Unfortunately, there could be more severe weather headed into Ohio, with McCoy noting that another outbreak is being predicted for Friday across the Ohio Valley.