Updates: What we know about Goshen's tornado, classified as a strong EF2
Here's what we know about the tornado touchdown in Goshen Township, Ohio, on Wednesday.
Officials from the National Weather Service at Wilmington, Ohio, said it has confirmed a tornado struck Goshen Wednesday afternoon as severe storms hit Greater Cincinnati Wednesday afternoon.
The service classified the tornado as an EF2, a strong tornado with winds between 111 and 135 MPH.
A state of emergency has been declared in the township. Goshen Township is in Clermont County and is home to about 17,000 people. It sits about 20 miles northeast of Cincinnati.
Police, fire and medical personnel, including mutual aid partners were out going door to door Tuesday night on all the streets affected, checking to see if anyone has any immediate needs.
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Medical and emergency personnel worked until at least 1 a.m. Wednesday morning before being sent home. Officials said in a Facebook update that operations are set to ramp back up in the township at daybreak. They reiterated they have plenty of resources, so no volunteer help is needed at this time.
Officials warned there are lots of power lines down and some may be live. Some may be dead but become energized, so stay away from all down lines.
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Here is what we know about the Goshen Township tornado:
Was there a tornado in Goshen, Ohio? and when did it touch down?
Based on radar data and initial images from around the Goshen area, it is believed a tornado was responsible for at least some of the damage.
According to the weather service, a tornado touched down just after 3 p.m. It was located northeast of Newtonsville around 3:20 p.m., moving east at 35 mph, forecasters said. A tornado warning was issued for Clermont and Brown counties just after 3 p.m.
How strong was the Goshen tornado?
The weather service will conduct a storm survey Thursday in northern Clermont County in relation to the severe thunderstorms that moved through the area Wednesday. The weather service is working with Clermont County Emergency Management and a final assessment including results of the survey is expected to be complete by Thursday evening.
Goshen Township administrator Steve Pegram said the force of the storm tore gas meters from the fire station building. He estimated about 30-90 seconds passed between the time he received the alert and windows began to blow out at the fire station.
Where is Goshen, Ohio?
Goshen Township is in Clermont County and is home to about 17,000 people. It sits about 20 miles northeast of Cincinnati.
What was damaged by the tornado in Goshen?
The Goshen Fire Department took “a direct hit” from the tornado, Pegram said. About a third of the building is completely collapsed.
The police station, township administration building and tornado shelter were also damaged. All four of the township's schools were also damaged. Pegram said it will cost millions to repair.
Pegram said Thursday that between 150 and 200 houses were damaged as well. Most worst of the tornado hit the more rural part of the township, he said, but some houses saw significant damage. The roofs were ripped off some homes.
In addition, the administrator said hundreds of houses and buildings were damaged, including four schools and the township building in addition to the fire station.
The Duke Energy outage map showed about 17,600 customers in Clermont County without power as of 5:30 a.m. Wednesday.
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Was anyone killed or injured in Goshen?
Pegram said at a press conference on Thursday there were no known fatalities and two injuries: a resident hurt by flying debris and a firefighter injured while using a chainsaw.
Since Wednesday night, crews have been doing damage assessments and working to make contact with every resident in the township. About 17,000 people live there.
When will the power be restored?
Pegram said some residents in the township should expect to be without power for several more days.
He reported that there were more than 100 utility poles down in the township, and those all have to be repaired or replaced.
How can people help in Goshen?
The Red Cross has set up a shelter at Goshen High School located at 6707 Goshen Road. The shelter can take pets now. Officials say Goshen Road is blocked and people should access the high school from Linton Road.
Anyone who has non-emergency, unmet needs can call 513-735-8500. Clermont County initially provided an incorrect phone number. People in need of immediate assistance are asked to call 911.
For now, Pegram said they don't need people to come to Goshen. They don't need additional traffic. He said every fire and police department in Clermont County and many from neighboring counties are helping.
"I know we will overcome," he said. "We'll recover. It's just going to be a tough couple of days."
Did the warning sirens go off?
Pegram said he is aware of reports of some sirens not going off including the siren at the fire station, but could not confirm how many failed to sound.
He said the warning he got on his phone came through about 30 seconds before the tornado hit, so there just might not have been time to deploy the sirens.
He told people that weather apps, phone alerts and weather radios are a more reliable sources to know when to seek shelter. He said sirens are outdated technology that is not even meant to be heard within the home.
