Sandusky and Ottawa counties declare state of emergency after June 15 tornadoes
County commissioners in Sandusky and Ottawa counties have each declared a state of emergency due to the widespread damage caused by tornadoes that struck the area on the evening of June 15.
"The commissioners are executing this disaster declaration to permit the use of emergency funds that various agencies may have available to aid in their recovery," said Fred Peterson, director of the Ottawa County Emergency Management Agency, in a news release.
Three tornadoes and two straight-line wind storms were confirmed in Sandusky County and one tornado touched down in Ottawa County that night. There were no injuries or fatalities from the severe weather, the National Weather Service wrote in a preliminary report assessing the damage.
The Ottawa County tornado touched down around 6:49 p.m. about 3 miles south of Oak Harbor and was rated an EF2, with estimated peak winds of 130 mph, according to the NWS. The tornado traveled 3.45 miles on the ground for about nine minutes, with a maximum width of 200 yards.
Five homes, seven barns damaged
The tornado tracked east-northeast, damaging five homes — tearing the roofs off some of those residences — destroyed seven barns and damaged up to 10 cattle facilities, according to the NWS.
The first tornado to hit Sandusky County that evening was an EF1 with peak winds of 95 mph, according to the NWS report. It landed in Rice Township at 6:57 p.m. and traveled 0.15 mile with a maximum width of 100 yards, lasting about a minute.
It touched down briefly near the intersection of Township Road 153 and Township Road 146, tracking east-northeast as it toppled seven trees. Two of those trees were blown into a home and another was snapped off at the base. The tornado lifted just east of the home, the NWS reported.
The second tornado to strike Sandusky County was rated an EF0 with wind speeds of up to 80 mph. It touched down briefly near Vickery at 7:18 p.m. tracking east-southeast and lasting about a minute.
That tornado partially destroyed the metal roof of an outbuilding on County Road 247, throwing metal roofing into a field and tearing shingles from a home, the NWS reported.
The third Sandusky County tornado that night, also an EF0 with peak winds of 80 mph, touched down at 7:40 p.m. about a mile northwest of Bellevue, according to the NWS report. It traveled 0.93 miles with a maximum width of 500 yards and was on the ground for two minutes.
Straight line winds hit 70 mph
According to the NWS report, the twister struck at Parkview Place in northern Bellevue, knocking over several power poles, then tracked southeast into Robert Peters Park, where it snapped off the tops of several trees before continuing to Kilbourne Street, where it dissipated.
Straight line winds estimated at 70 mph caused damage in southeast Sandusky County, including in Clyde and York Township, the NWS said. Straight line winds are defined as thunderstorm winds that have no rotation.
All told, 10 tornadoes were confirmed the evening of June 15 in Northwest and North Central Ohio, stretching from Toledo to Ashland, the weather service reported.
Lisa Kuelling, director of the Sandusky County Emergency Management Agency, said all requests for asisstance should be made to the Sandusky County Emergency Operations Center, 2323 Countryside Drive, Fremont, Ohio, 43420. You can also make requests by calling 419-334-8933 or 419-334-6423, or by email to lkuelling@sanduskycountyoh.gov.
Ottawa County residents whose property was damaged by the June 15 storms are advised to complete an application for assistance available from the auditor's office, 419-734-6740 or online at ottawaoh-auditor.ddti.net.
dyonke@gannett.com
Twitter: @dyonke1
This article originally appeared on Fremont News-Messenger: 4 tornadoes confirmed in Sandusky and Ottawa counties June 15
