Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (D) declared a state of emergency for several counties on Saturday after Storm Debby passed through and caused damage in the northeastern part of the state last week.
“This emergency declaration will allow the state to provide rapid assistance to these communities. At this time, there are no backlogged requests for services the state can provide to local communities in the wake of these storms,” said Governor DeWine. It said in a statement Saturday.
Debby had retreated from the US by Saturday night after spending several days devastating the East Coast with flooding and tornadoes. As of Sunday morning, more than 44,900 residents in Ohio were still without power, followed by Oklahoma, New York and Vermont. According to PowerOutage.us.
The storm made landfall on Florida’s Gulf Coast last Monday as a Category 1 hurricane, then made landfall again in South Carolina last Thursday as a tropical storm, according to the Associated Press. It weakened to a tropical depression last Thursday afternoon and was declared a subtropical depression on Friday, according to the National Hurricane Center.
At least nine people have been killed in Debby-related incidents, mostly in car accidents and by falling trees, the newswire added.
Debby struck northeastern Ohio on Thursday night, dumping more than 5 inches of rain in some areas within a two-to-four hour period, with reports of extensive flooding and related problems, according to the Associated Press.
This follows a series of storms that brought four tornadoes to the Cleveland area earlier this week, downing trees and power lines and causing power outages in several areas.
“Crews across Ohio and beyond are working around the clock to restore power,” said Governor DeWine. “For your safety, please give crews plenty of space when they’re in your neighborhood.”
In addition to declaring a state of emergency for the county, Governor DeWine said he has directed Ohio Emergency Management Director Sima Merrick to request that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) travel to Northeast Ohio to assess the damage.
He advised local governments to contact their county emergency management agency offices for further assistance.
The Associated Press contributed.
