Storm brings flooded roads, wind damage

Central Ohio authorities are warning drivers to watch out for flooded roadways after a storm system swept across the state Sunday evening, producing a tornado in Mercer County that injured eight people.

Rain was expected to continue in central Ohio until Monday morning, with an accumulation of 2 to 4 inches, according to the National Weather Service. A flash flood watch was in effect until 4 a.m. Monday and a flood advisory until 9:30 p.m. Monday.

“We’ve got a lot of high water, and we’re asking people to use caution, especially if the visibility is low,” a Union County sheriff’s dispatcher said Sunday night.

Sunday’s storm also brought high winds and lightning, leaving behind downed wires and trees. A tornado warning was issued in Madison County but no twister was sighted.

None of the county sheriff offices in central Ohio reported major damage, but a severe thunderstorm watch was in effect until 1 a.m.

More than 17,000 people in the area were without power Sunday night, American Electric Power reported.

In western Ohio, the storm spawned a tornado that caused property damage and injured eight people in the Celina area.

A Dollar General Store was destroyed, and the C-Town Wings restaurant was damaged. There was damage to several other nearby businesses in Celina, the Lima News reported, including walls knocked down at Crown Equipment.

According to the National Weather Service, six people were hurt at the restaurant and another was injured at a different business. One person was injured on state Route 29 from an accident after the storm knocked down a power pole. The Dayton Daily News reported that authorities said none of the injuries was thought to be life-threatening.