Storm Damage: Storms cause problems throughout the area
A downed tree affected cars and residents at the Laurel Commons Apartments in Ravenswood Tuesday afternoon as high winds went through the area. (Photo by Brett Dunlap)
Debris from high winds ripped some siding off of a nearby building and got caught up in power lines at the intersection of Washington and Brown streets in Ravenswood Tuesday afternoon. This section of Washington Street was closed off and traffic was diverted around it. (Photo by Brett Dunlap)
A tree was uprooted Tuesday at the Laurel Commons Apartments in Ravenswood. A power pole being knocked down and other damage impacted residents. (Photo by Brett Dunlap)
A downed power pole and an uprooted tree impacted residents at the Laurel Commons Apartments in Ravenswood after high winds blew through the area Tuesday afternoon. (Photo by Brett Dunlap)
A downed tree affected cars and residents at the Laurel Commons Apartments in Ravenswood Tuesday afternoon as high winds went through the area. (Photo by Brett Dunlap)
Debris from high winds ripped some siding off of a nearby building and got caught up in power lines at the intersection of Washington and Brown streets in Ravenswood Tuesday afternoon. This section of Washington Street was closed off and traffic was diverted around it. (Photo by Brett Dunlap)
A tree was uprooted Tuesday at the Laurel Commons Apartments in Ravenswood. A power pole being knocked down and other damage impacted residents. (Photo by Brett Dunlap)
A downed power pole and an uprooted tree impacted residents at the Laurel Commons Apartments in Ravenswood after high winds blew through the area Tuesday afternoon. (Photo by Brett Dunlap)
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PARKERSBURG – Storms rolled through the Mid-Ohio Valley Tuesday causing road closures due to fallen debris, leaving some without power and others missing a roof.
"We had a roof blown off on a house in Ravenswood," Jackson County 911 Emergency Director Montana Boggess said. "It got blown into the road. North Ritchie Avenue, Douglas Avenue and Long Avenue were closed while crews cleaned up."
She also said there was reported roof damage at the Ripley Little League fields and at 2:50 p.m. traffic on U.S. Route 33 had been reduced to one lane as crews cleared the way for traffic.
"We've seen the most impact in the northern part of the county," Boggess said. "A tree fell on a car off of Route 33."
Advanced Communications Representative for FirstEnergy Hannah Catlett said approximately 20,000 power outages were reported in their coverage area, with 5,000 in Parkersburg.
"Our crews are working as quickly and safely as possible to get the power back on for all customers, as our in-house meteorologists monitor the possibility for more incoming severe weather. Our utility workers are ready to roll if it does cause additional outages," she said.
She said the best way for the company to pinpoint damage locations and speed up restoration times is for customers to report outages. She said in the event of a power outage, customers should report it by calling 1-888-LIGHTSS (1-888-544-4877) or by clicking the "Report Outage" link on www.firstenergycorp.com.
Other counties, such as Pleasants and Tyler counties, reported no significant storm damage and Ritchie and Doddridge counties reported a few trees down but said it was nothing that affected day-to-day operations.
Aaron Fleenor, public information officer for Wood and Wirt County Emergency, said he had not received any weather related reports Tuesday.
Melissa Gilbert, director of Roane County 911 Emergency, said they had received a few reports of downed trees and power lines.
West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice declared a State of Emergency for Fayette, Kanawha, Lincoln, and Nicholas counties Tuesday due to the severe thunderstorms that caused high winds and flooding, downed trees, power outages, and road blockages.
The declaration was a proactive measure ensuring the allocation of necessary resources and expedition of emergency response efforts, a release from the governor's office said.
"The State of Emergency allows state and local agencies to take swift and decisive actions to mitigate the impact of the storms and protect the lives and property of West Virginians," it said.
Justice also issued a State of Preparedness for all 55 counties Tuesday.
On the Ohio side of the river, Washington County Sheriff Larry Mincks said the sheriff's office had received no weather related calls as of 2 p.m. Tuesday.
"We're waiting for this afternoon," he said about calls related to the weather. "Predictions are indicating we may have rough weather for a while."
A flood warning was issued for Washington County and the surrounding areas at 12:58 p.m. Tuesday and will last until 2 a.m. Thursday. The Muskingum River is projected to reach 29.3 feet – just above the flood stage of 29 feet – at 2 a.m. Wednesday and is projected to reach its highest, 30.1 feet, at 8 a.m. that day.
The Ohio River is projected to reach 35.2 feet – just above the flood stage of 35 feet – at 2 p.m. Thursday and is projected to be at its highest at 1 p.m. Friday, reaching 37.9 feet.
The flood watch said that excessive runoff may lead to flooding of rivers, creeks, streams and other low-lying areas. Flooding may also occur in areas with poor drainage and urban areas.
The National Weather Service forecast said a cold front will push through the area early Wednesday morning, providing much cooler temperatures for Wednesday through Friday, and an upper level low will keep the chance of precipitation around for the second half of the work week.
Douglass Huxley can be reached at dhuxley@newsandsentinel.com
Kristen Hainkel can be reached at khainkel@newsandsentinel.com
Michelle Dillon can be reached at mdillon@newsandsentinel.com