Governor Strickland

The declaration follows a major windstorm Sunday that resulted in the loss of five lives and led to widespread power outages and damage across the state.

"The state of Ohio has experienced hurricane-level gusts of wind, which is obviously extremely unusual for our state," Strickland said. "We are staying in very close contact with our communities and doing everything in our power to assist the response and recovery to these extraordinary circumstances.  Ohioans are strong and resilient, and I know that our citizens' first concern will be looking out for each other.  And I will make sure that the State of Ohio stands with its people during this difficult time."

A Springfield man suffered serious injuries in a motorcycle crash near Indian Lake around three-thirty Saturday afternoon.

Troopers from the Marysville Post of the State Highway Patrol report that Darin Moroney, 38, was driving a '97 Harley-Davidson Fat Boy westbound on State Route 235 near State Route 117 when he swerved to miss an oncoming car that was left of center.

Moroney was ejected after his bike went off the right side of the road.

He was transported to Lima Memorial Hospital by Richland Township EMS.

Moroney was not wearing a helmet.

As Ohioans continue to clean up from Sunday's windstorm damage, Ohio Department of Insurance Director Mary Jo Hudson is providing important insurance tips to help assist in the claims filing process. Ohioans are also encouraged to keep an eye out for unscrupulous contractors who may be trying to defraud homeowners.

"This weekend's wind storm caused extensive damage all throughout Ohio," Director Hudson said. "Ohioans should contact their insurance when assessing damage to their homes or vehicles to ensure a smooth claim filing process."

If You Have Suffered Damage to Your Property Due to a Storm:

Sunday's high winds caused this tree at Blue Jacket Park to topple.

More than one million customers around the state lost power, including thousands in Logan County.

Wind gusts reached over 70 miles per hour in many local communities.

Dayton Power and Light and Logan County Coop crews have spent the last several hours restoring power to local residents.

DP&L spokesperson Tom Tatham says this is the largest outage he has seen in his twenty-three years with the company. (Storm damage photos in this story)