FEMA surveying 11 Ohio counties following tornadoes, severe weather
COLUMBUS – The state asked the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to conduct a damage assessment on impacted homeowners, renters and businesses for the 11 Ohio counties – including Richland – hit by the tornadoes and severe storms on March 14.
In addition to Richland County, Gov. Mike Dewine declared a state of emergency for Logan, Auglaize, Mercer, Darke, Miami, Union, Delaware, Licking, Hancock, and Crawford counties on March 17.
Six FEMA damage assessment teams were set to inspect and assess the damage in all 11 Ohio counties early this week.
The Individual Assistance (IA) Preliminary Damage Assessments (PDAS) aim to identify the type and extent of disaster damages to homes and businesses and assess whether federal resources are needed to supplement local and state resources.
“Ohioans are resilient. When I toured the damage at Indian Lake, I heard over and over again from the residents I talked to about their resolve to rebuild. Having FEMA assess the damage is the next step in helping the affected communities recover,”
Governor Dewine said in a March 21 statement.
On the evening of March 14, severe weather swept through the state, causing extensive damage across several counties.
The storms ranged from EF-1 to EF-3 with wind speeds in excess of 150 mph in the largest tornadoes. One of the tornadoes hit the Plymouth area.
Recovery efforts are ongoing around Ohio, with state and local initiatives focusing on assisting storm survivors, debris removal, and long-term recovery.