STONELICK TOWNSHIP, Ohio — Stonelick Township Fire and EMS responded to more than 70 calls for service in the 24 hours after severe storms tore through the township Tuesday afternoon, leaving widespread tree damage, blocked roads and power outages that could last for days, the department said in a Facebook post.
The storms downed trees across roadways, on top of homes and on top of vehicles, and snapped utility poles in several areas of the township, according to the department. Most of the township was without electricity, and several roads remained impassable because of fallen trees and downed power lines.
Crews planned to survey the damage more thoroughly at daybreak Wednesday to determine what work lies ahead over the coming hours, days and weeks, the department said.
The department urged people to avoid unnecessary travel into Stonelick Township for the next few days to give utility crews room to clear roads and repair electrical equipment. It also warned homeowners to use caution around any downed power lines, which could still be energized even if they show no obvious signs of it.
The outages follow a countywide storm system that knocked out power to about 40,000 Duke Energy customers across Clermont County on Tuesday, with the utility estimating restoration could take 24 hours or longer.
A list of closed roads was expected to be posted later Wednesday, and the department urged residents to plan alternate routes and prepare for power to remain off for potentially several days. Additional heavy rain and the possibility of flash flooding were expected over the following days, the department said.
The information contained in this story was obtained from Stonelick Township Fire and EMS.