Severe storms that swept across the Midwest, unleashing tornadoes, heavy rains, and flash flooding, have left hundreds of thousands of customers without electricity as of Wednesday afternoon. First responders were actively engaged in rescuing individuals from floodwaters while utility crews worked to clear downed trees and wires.
In Indiana, a 4-year-old boy died when a tree fell on a home in Geneva. Officials in Portage are investigating a house explosion that resulted in a fatality to determine if severe weather was a contributing factor. In Ohio, Governor Mike DeWine reported that a resident of Roseville died during a health emergency, as flooded roads prevented first responders from reaching the individual. A prison complex southwest of Cleveland was struck by lightning on Tuesday, leading to the hospitalization of 16 incarcerated individuals.
The storm damage spanned a wide area, extending from the Chicago region to western Pennsylvania. The National Weather Service confirmed three tornadoes in counties south of Chicago. Flood warnings were in effect from northern Illinois to eastern Indiana, with flash flood watches covering parts of Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, West Virginia, Virginia, and Tennessee. Forecasters indicated that severe thunderstorm and heavy rainfall threats would continue across the Plains, Midwest, Ohio Valley, and central Appalachians over the next few days.
Authorities in Ohio and western Pennsylvania reported numerous water rescues. In response to the widespread flooding, Governor DeWine deployed 40 Ohio Army National Guard members to assist in two counties east of Columbus. Dozens of local departments, including some from West Virginia, also responded to aid in the relief efforts. In Crooksville, Ohio, a family had to be rescued by firefighters from their home as floodwaters rose to knee-deep.
More than 650,000 customers were without power across Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, and West Virginia by Wednesday afternoon. American Electric Power reported over 100 broken poles and approximately 650 downed wire spans, with about 76,000 of its customers still without power after crews had restored electricity to 135,000 others. Columbus, Ohio Mayor Andrew Ginther declared a local state of emergency to assist with power outage restoration and cleanup efforts.
Social media posts from the Chicago area and Indiana depicted flooded roadways, trees entangled with power lines, and homes with roof damage. Forecasters noted that the intense weather system, which moved from Iowa into Indiana, bore characteristics of a derecho, a prolonged straight-line wind event known for heavy rainfall and extensive travel distances, often causing damage comparable to tornadoes or hurricanes. A wind gust of 99 mph was recorded in Gary, Indiana, with numerous other personal weather stations reporting gusts of 80 mph or higher. In Dayton, Ohio, a daily rainfall record of 2.07 inches was set, surpassing a mark from 1915.
Governor DeWine described the flooding in the hardest-hit areas as "stunning" and "historic," stating that the communities had experienced water challenges before but that this event was the worst. He surveyed the damage by helicopter on Wednesday.
