As the community approaches the second anniversary of the March 2024 tornado that wrecked the Indian Lake region, Wednesday’s sudden storm served as an unsettling reminder for many residents.
A quick but powerful storm moved through the area late Wednesday morning, bringing strong winds that knocked down power poles, power lines, and trees across parts of Logan County.
The Logan County Electric Cooperative reported that more than 1,000 members lost power for about 90 minutes.
Meanwhile, AES Ohio reported that more than 7,000 customers across its service area will probably be without electricity well into the evening as crews work to restore service.
Schools across the area took precautionary measures and sheltered in place as a tornado warnings from the National Weather Service were issued.
One Russells Point resident, who asked to remain anonymous, told news crews the storm brought back flashbacks from two years ago.
She said sparks flew as power poles fell along Elliot Road in Russells Point on Wednesday as winds picked up.
Damage was reported in several locations throughout the county.
Older power poles in rural Huntsville were toppled by the wind, and a large tree fell in Brown Park in Bellefontaine.
Also in Bellefontaine, a downed power pole at the intersection of Sandusky Avenue and Troy Road halted traffic and caused additional power outages in the area.
Crews in Lakeview also worked to clear a fallen tree on Cottonwood Street.
According to the National Weather Service, rain is expected on Wednesday evening, mainly before 7 p.m., with a low of around 28 degrees.
Conditions are forecast to remain blustery with northwest winds between 17 and 21 miles per hour and gusts reaching up to 34 miles per hour.
The chance of precipitation is listed at 80 percent, with new rainfall amounts between a tenth and a quarter of an inch possible.
Despite the rough start to the day, conditions improved later in the afternoon, with sunshine returning for a few hours in the area.
