More than one large tornado is said to have hit the Dayton area in Ohio late Monday night, with the National Weather Service (NWS) posting multiple tornado warnings throughout the night on its Twitter page, urging people to take cover.
The NWS said early May 28 that the destructive winds have caused more than 70,000 power outages across Ohio, affecting more than 5 million people.
SIX active tornado warnings across populated areas of western and central OH! Including Dayton and Springfield, OH areas. Large dangerous tornado on the supercell just southeast of Dayton @breakingweather @accuweather pic.twitter.com/Q9KXS6jRVZ
— Reed Timmer (@ReedTimmerAccu) May 28, 2019
Here is the path of the large, destructive tornado that is moved across Montgomery County and is moving across Green County, OH. Damage likely in these areas where the highest wind shear (twisting of winds) was. #OHwx pic.twitter.com/vMJ8sQApwP
— John Gumm (@JohnGumm) May 28, 2019
The second tornado is crossing I-75 just south of I-70 … a few miles south of the Dayton airport … and just north of the previous tornado track.
A third cell is being watched
Radar 11:42 PM pic.twitter.com/FIYM0LzV0o— Ryan Maue (@RyanMaue) May 28, 2019
The weather service confirmed late on May 27 that just after 11 p.m. local time, a “large and dangerous tornado” had hit near Trotwood in Mongomery County, 8 miles northwest of Dayton.
Sheriff Rob Streck asked people to stay off the roads in areas affected by the storm. His office said that many roads are damaged and were unpassable.
Streck told 2 NEWS that reports have come in of roofs flying off houses, houses collapsing and trees down. He also told the station that the Brookville, Harrison Township, and Trotwood areas seem to have been hit the hardest.
He said that it’s the worst storm damage he has seen in his career, according to WKEF-TV in Dayton.
Several apartment complexes had to be evacuated due to a risk of gas explosions, Trotwood Mayor Mary McDonald told WDTN.
McDonald had been actively updating locals of the situation on her Facebook account, warning them that power lines and trees were down, and to stay inside. McDonald also said that Trotwood High School would be open as a shelter for local residents.
In Celina, Mercer County, a town about 55 miles northwest of Dayton, a tornado was said to have toppled many trees and damaged homes, according to WDTN.
The Mercer County Emergency Management Director Mike Robbins told the news station that emergency crews were conducting search and rescue. He said several homes have been destroyed and there were reports of multiple injuries from the storms.
“We have a house that was cut in half over here,” a rescuer said on early May 28, Heavy.com reported.
“Unbelievable” and “Catastrophic” damage in Celina, OH and surrounding #Dayton metro area after large and devastating tornado struck the city. #ohwx pic.twitter.com/oR60hq7nI5
— Nate Morris (@_natemorris) May 28, 2019
In Brookville, Dayton, Brookville Schools Superintendent Tim Hopkins told WHIOTV that the tornado blew off a part of their school complex’s roof, and blew in the front doors. He called it “just a mess,” and has canceled school for May 28.
[10:57 PM] TORNADO EMERGENCY FOR NORTHERN MONTGOMERY COUNTY, OHIO. EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION EVOLVING HERE. TAKE COVER NOW IN ENGLEWOOD, NORTHVIEW AND SURROUNDING AREAS. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS SITUATION!!!
— NWS Wilmington OH (@NWSILN) May 28, 2019
B R U H
Blurry but peep that funnel in this video.#Dayton #Tornado pic.twitter.com/6THcznD6xA
— Josh Martinez (@YoJoshMartinez) May 28, 2019
Some areas in Dayton received hail.
Massive Clean-Up
The Ohio Department of Transportation said it was using snow plows to remove debris off southbound Interstate 75 highway, north of Dayton after a tornado passed through late May 27.
Transportation spokesman Matt Bruning told the Associated Press that other crews were also clearing debris northwest of Dayton in Mercer and Darke counties.
Trying to clear the debris in the middle of the night was a difficult task, complicated by darkness and downed power lines, Bruning said.
“We’ll do a more thorough cleaning after we get lanes opened,” he told the Associated Press early May 28. He said that tow trucks would eventually have to deal with damaged vehicles along the roadway, too.
PHOTOS: Just got a first look at damage on Bruns Ave in Celina. Virtually an entire neighborhood destroyed. Hard to show all homes in dark, but MANY look like this @whiotv pic.twitter.com/RMX7B52iYD
— Sean Cudahy (@SCudahyWHIO) May 28, 2019
The scale of destruction of the storm and tornados was evident from images and footage shared by locals on Twitter.
BREAKING: Video shows damage in Dayton, Ohio after a “historic” tornado hit the metro area – a second tornado is expected to hit soon. pic.twitter.com/iyoNx70rxv
— Breaking News Global (@BreakingNAlerts) May 28, 2019
Everyone, I was just direct hit by a tornado here in dayton ohio. The street and houses are all in shambles. Live power lines everywhere. I will keep everyone updated. pic.twitter.com/aoStcpQsw0
— Equate (@EquateHD) May 28, 2019
Video of confirmed tornado just north of Dayton, Ohio. (Ben Norrod/Facebook) pic.twitter.com/Hc6ryr2rKH
— NortheastWeatherWx (@NEWeatherWx) May 28, 2019
DAMAGE in Celina, Ohio, following tornado. At least six injured pic.twitter.com/52v7V4UWul
— News Breaking LIVE (@NewsBreaking) May 28, 2019
What’s left of my grandmas house in Celina pic.twitter.com/QZULg8PtxY
— Seth Kohnen (@s_kohnen) May 28, 2019
The NWS said it will be conducting surveys of storm damage in the Dayton region from early Tuesday, May 28.
“Due to the magnitude and expanse of damage and reports received,” the service said that the process is likely to take multiple days. Storm surveys are expected to be required in Celina, New Madison in Darke County, Laura in western Miami County, Dayton, and areas in Laurelville, according to WHIOTV7.
Severe weather and tornado dangers will continue across Ohio on May 28, according to Accuweather. This is expected to expand eastward into Pennsylvania, southern New York, Maryland and New Jersey, the weather station reported.
Anyone who witnessed weather-related damage is asked to report it via the NWS’s severe weather reporting methods or by calling 937-383-0031.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.