South Vienna cleans up after tornado, damage likely not enough for aid

South Vienna residents are still cleaning up damage from a tornado over the weekend, including several trees and limbs still littering the village.

While the damage was widespread in South Vienna, it likely wasn’t enough to receive federal or state assistance, Clark County Emergency Management Agency Director Lisa D’Allessandris said.

RELATED: Trees uprooted, damage widespread in South Vienna

The Clark County EMA is still collecting and totalling up damage reports, she said, but in order to qualify for assistance, at least 25 uninsured properties would need to have sustained major damage. So far it doesn’t appear that threshold will be met, D’Allessandris said.

The National Weather Service confirmed an EF1 tornado touched down Sunday, causing damage across the village. According to data released by the weather service, Sunday’s tornado carried maximum wind speeds of 95 mph and spread up to 200 yards. It traveled 6.5 miles southeast after touching down near Ritchie Drive and I-70, where it overturned a semi-trailer.

Flooding also hit across western Clark County during the storms, closing several roads. A measurement taken in Yellow Springs found that about 3.5 inches of rain fell overnight with wind speeds topping about 45 miles per hour.

Neighbors said the rain Sunday night into Monday morning was hectic and the wind was vicious. One property owner heard about the storm from Tennessee.

DETAILS: Tornado cleanup effort underway in Celina

“Text messages and phone calls. I knew something was happening,” said Jocelyn Perdue, a Clark County property manager.

She manages two rental properties in South Vienna and said she has never seen anything like the aftermath of the storms.

“A lot of trees down, damage to the roofs and a lot of debris,” Perdue said.

Her properties need some repairs.

“We’ve got about five holes in the roof … and a tree went down on the porch,” Perdue said.

Trees are down on another property, shingles were torn off a roof and air conditioning units were damaged as well. Both have insurance and she is waiting for an adjuster to make an appointment to determine the cost of the damage.

READ MORE: South Vienna tornado 3rd in Clark County in 2017

Village properties received minor damage, Mayor Toni Keller said. The tennis court and fence were damaged and crews were out there Wednesday cleaning up. It has insurance, Keller said, and the areas affected will be covered. The mayor is happy that there was just structural damage.

“We were very, very lucky that no one got hurt and no one’s house were uprooted,” Keller said.

The National Weather Service confirmed Monday that at least three EF-2 tornadoes also touched down in Mercer County. It appears one tornado was at least over 200 yards wide as it moved through Celina.

Damage surveys completed this week by the National Weather Service has brought the statewide tornado count up to 17 from Sunday’s storms. Most of them touched down across northern Ohio.

The average number of tornadoes annually in Ohio is 19, according to Stormcenter 7 Chief Meteorologist Eric Elwell.

Earlier this year, severe weather brought two EF-0 tornadoes to Enon and six miles west of Springfield back in April. Damage was reported along Dayton-Springfield Road but no injuries.

Only a month later in May, another EF-1 tornado touched down on the western side of Park Layne, causing significant damage to several businesses and mobile homes with 100 mph winds.


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By the numbers

95 mph: Top speed of the tornado that hit South Vienna on Sunday

200 yards: Path of the tornado

6.5 miles: distance the tornado traveled

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