COLUMBUS — Governor Ted Strickland declared a state of emergency for Perry County, which was affected by severe weather that passed through southeast Ohio early July 22.
Storms with strong winds struck the county around 4 a.m. Tuesday morning, damaging roads and toppling trees in the Junction City and New Lexington areas. Wind gusts in the area were reported in excess of 100 mph.
Officials from the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Charleston, W.Va.., office toured the damaged area yesterday and determined the extensive damage resulted from straight-line winds and not a tornado.
Tuesday’s storm left about 21,000 customers throughout central Ohio without power, including more than 5,400 Perry County residents.
The Ohio Department of Transportation is assisting county officials with debris removal operations. Ohio Emergency Management Agency (EMA) personnel and volunteer agencies are continuing to assist in the cleanup and recovery efforts, closely coordinating activities with Perry County officials.
Residents of Perry County are encouraged to report storm-related damage to the Perry County Emergency Management Agency at 740-342-1141.
