'It looks like a war zone': Homes and businesses are reduced to rubble, 81-year-old man is killed and more than 60 others are injured when powerful tornadoes swept through Ohio causing 'catastrophic' damage
- Tornadoes first touched down in the city of Trotwood, just outside Dayton, at about 11pm on Monday night
- National Weather Service described tornado as 'extremely dangerous' and told residents to take shelter
- Photos showed widespread damage to homes and buildings, and the storm brought down power lines
- There were reports of houses being cut in half and others were completely flattened during the storms
- Authorities confirmed at least one death in Celina, Ohio, which is about 75 miles northwest of Dayton
- At least 60 people in and around Dayton went to hospitals with injuries, most of them minor, officials said
- As of Tuesday afternoon, millions are still without power in Ohio alone, according to local authorities
At least one person has died and 60 more were injured in Ohio after 'rapid-fire' tornadoes ripped through the state, leaving more than five million people without power.
As of Tuesday morning, authorities confirmed one death in Celina, about 75 miles northwest of Dayton.
The one known fatality is 81-year-old Melvin Dale Hannah, according to Celina Mayor Jeffrey Hazel. The man died when a car crashed into his house while he was sleeping, Hazel said.
Authorities said the most severe damage was reported in Celina. Hazel said there are 'areas that truly look like a war zone' in the city of some 10,000 people.
Celina Fire Chief, Douglas Wolters, said as many as 90 homes have been damaged by the tornadoes that pounded through the region.
Wolters estimates that 40 of the homes have significant damage and some were knocked off their foundations. Most people are staying with family or friends, but some went to a shelter in nearby Coldwater.
Dayton area hospitals have reported at least 64 injuries since a wave of severe storms swept through.
Weather experts said 51 tornadoes were reported across eight states overnight and residents of Idaho, Colorado, Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio are still not in the clear as severe weather is forecast to continue through Tuesday and into Wednesday.
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At least one person has died and 60 more were injured in Ohio after 'rapid-fire' tornadoes ripped through the state, leaving more than five million people without power. This aerial photo shows damage at the Westbrooke Village Apartment complex in Trotwood, Ohio
Residents of Idaho, Colorado, Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio, are still not in the clear as severe weather is forecast to continue through Tuesday and into Wednesday. This photo shows another aerial view of the Westbrooke Village Apartment building in Trotwood, Ohio
Residents of the Westbrooke Village Apartment in Trotwood, Ohio, are seen gathering items that they were forced to leave behind as they evacuated their homes
Storm damaged homes are seen Tuesday morning after a tornado passed through the area overnight in Brookville, Ohio
The Northridge Shopping Center on North Dixie Highway in Dayton, Ohio, lies in shambles after the tornado. The shopping center housed a Family Dollar, a strip club, a tax service and many other small businesses
A Jeep is surrounded by debris from a destroyed building near Wagner Ford Road in Dayton, Ohio
A car was damaged by the garage it was parked in after it collapsed during the tornado in Trotwood, Ohio
Deletha Shepard looks at what is left of her house on Tuesday after a tornado tore it's roof off in Trotwood, Ohio
The kitchen cabinets are left standing in Ron and Marlene Snider's home in the Wheatland Acres subdivision in Celina, Ohio
Eight-year-old Hayden Snider finds a way to entertain himself as his family cleans up the debris of his grandparents' home in the Wheatland Acres subdivision in Celina, Ohio
A tally of storm reports posted online by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Storm Prediction Center shows that 14 suspected tornadoes touched down in Indiana, 10 in Colorado and nine in Ohio.
Thunderstorms that spun off the Colorado tornadoes dropped hail as large as tennis balls, with pea-size hail reported in the Denver area.
Six suspected tornadoes were reported in Iowa, five in Nebraska, four in Illinois, three in Minnesota, while one was reported in Idaho.
In Indiana and Ohio specifically, a rapid-fire line of apparent tornadoes tore across the states and were packed so closely together that one crossed the path carved by another.
The storms strew debris so thick that at one point, highway crews had to use snowplows to clear Interstate 75.
At least half a dozen communities from eastern Indiana through central Ohio suffered damage, according to the National Weather Service (NWS).
Mayor Hazel said that first responders rescued some people from their homes overnight and were making a third sweep Tuesday to check for anyone else who might be trapped.
'It is devastating,' he added.
There were at least 35 people in and around Dayton who went to hospitals with injuries, most of them minor, according to Elizabeth Long, a spokeswoman for the Kettering Health Network.
'We've had injuries ranging form lacerations to bumps and bruises from folks being thrown around in their houses due to the storms,' Long said.
Earlier on Tuesday, Montgomery County Sheriff Rob Streck said that 'there's been no real serious injuries' despite the significant damage in the area.
The sheriff asked residents to avoid any areas with damage from the storms.
'There are multiple locations that have sustained extensive damage and the roads in those areas need to be kept clear so that emergency personnel can get through to help those in need,' a statement reads.
According to the sheriff, there are also 'potentially dangerous situations with power lines down, unstable trees and possible gas leaks'.
Dayton Fire Chief Jeffrey Payne also said that it was 'pretty miraculous' that there have been only minor injuries.
Payne attributed the good news to people heeding early warnings. Residents say sirens started going off around 10.30pm Monday ahead of the storm.
Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley urged residents to check on neighbors, especially those who are housebound.
The power response will require a 'multi-day restoration effort,' utility Dayton Power & Light said in an early morning tweet. The company said 64,000 of its customers alone were without power.
In a tweet, the city of Dayton urged residents to conserve water after the storms cut power to water plants and pump stations.
'Due to the widespread power outages we are asking all Dayton and Montgomery County customers to conserve water,' the city tweeted.
'We have lost power to both water plants and pump stations. First responders are performing search and rescue operations and debris clearing.'
Erica Bohannon leads reporters through her destroyed apartment on Tuesday morning in Trotwood, Ohio. She said the tornado passed through the area the night before and tore her roof off while she huddled with her son and dog in her bedroom closet
Carl Shackleford Jr carries his father's memorial flag out of a tornado damaged apartment at the Westbrooke Village Apartment complex in Trotwood, Ohio
Jeremy Sutter picks up items from his house on Woodhaven Avenue in Dayton, Ohio, on Tuesday morning
Lins Bui gathers clothing from her home in Dayton, Ohio, on Tuesday morning. Bui received stitches on her face after being injured by a tornado the night before
Latisha Anderson digs through her personal items in what remains of her home in Dayton, Ohio
Deletha Shepard takes a photo of her house on Tuesday morning after the tornado touched down overnight in Trotwood, Ohio
Ana Parra Marroquin cries in her bedroom at her residence in Dayton, Ohio, after her home was destroyed
Residents in and around Dayton, Ohio, were seen leaving their damaged homes or digging through debris for items just hours after a tornado tore through the area
Residents and volunteers help clear debris from damaged homes resulting from the tornado storm system that passed through the region in Brookville, Ohio
City Manager Shelley Dickstein later issued a boil advisory for residents. The advisory affects 'all water customers in Dayton and Montgomery County'.
The city also said that generators are being rushed in.
Heartbreaking images showed families visiting what's left of their homes to dig through the debris.
Some found items to take with them, while others wept over the remnants of their houses. Others took photos of the damage and some were seen preparing to clean up their yards.
Republican Gov Mike DeWine will be visiting communities hard-hit by the tornadoes in the Dayton area.
A spokesman for DeWine says a schedule will be released later Tuesday.
Among areas he plans to visit is Trotwood, an older Dayton suburb of some 24,500 people. Mayor Mary McDonald reports extensive, 'catastrophic damage'.
McDonald said five busloads of displaced residents have been taken to a church offering temporary shelter while the American Red Cross assesses needs.
She says the community is getting a lot of help and support from federal, state, and local agencies, adding that 'we need that level of support'.
Trotwood's Hara Arena, idled in recent years after decades as a popular sports and entertainment venue, sustained 'a huge amount of damage'.
Actor Rob Lowe, a Dayton native, tweeted on Tuesday: 'Praying for my hometown.'
Lorraine Hoeft picks through her belongings scattered across her yard after the tornado touched down in Charles City, Iowa, and destroyed her family's home on Monday
The living room of Doug and Lorraine Hoeft's Charles City home was destroyed. Dirt and debris is seen scattered all over the living space
A tornado ripped the front off of a two-story home on Johnsville Brookville Road in Brookville, Ohio
A building on the Floyd County Fairgrounds site in Charles City, Iowa, is seen leveled after a tornado touched down in the area on Monday
Property and tree damage was extensive in Pendleton, Indiana, where a tornado landed overnight
Daniel Williams, of Clayton, Ohio walks through his damaged house after a tornado touched down overnight
Neighbors in Clayton, Ohio, gather belongings after houses were damaged during the devastating tornado
Members of a search and rescue team inspect homes in Trotwood, Ohio, Tuesday. One crew member is seen standing on top of what's left of the home
Weather experts said 51 tornadoes (depicted in this graphic) were reported across eight states overnight and residents of Idaho, Colorado, Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio, are still not in the clear as severe weather is forecast to continue through Tuesday and into Wednesday
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Storm Prediction Center, 14 suspected tornadoes touched down in Indiana, 10 in Colorado and nine in Ohio. Six suspected tornadoes were reported in Iowa, five in Nebraska, four in Illinois, three in Minnesota, while one was reported in Idaho
Drone footage showed large, modern homes in Celina obliterated by the tornado while ones right next door dodged its fury.
Kylie Post, a Celina resident, said that when she heard tornado sirens start blaring, she and her son took shelter in a bathtub and covered themselves with a mattress - because their house has no basement.
'The first thing I heard was the sirens. Then, next it sounded almost like a train was near us that lasted for only a few minutes,' Post told Cincinnati.com.
Multiple schools in the area were closed or had delayed starts Tuesday.
Towns just outside Dayton, Ohio, took some of the heaviest hits.
In Vandalia, about 10 miles directly north of Dayton, Francis Dutmers and his wife were headed for the basement and safety Monday night when the storm hit with 'a very loud roar'.
'I just got down on all fours and covered my head with my hands,' said Dutmers, who said the winds blew out windows around his house, filled rooms with storm debris, and took down most of his trees.
But he and his wife were not injured and the house is still livable, he said.
Homes stand damaged after a tornado passed through the area overnight in Brookville, Ohio
In Brookville, west of Dayton, the storm tore roofs off schools, destroyed a barn and heavily damaged houses. This photo shows the Brookville High School
A section of roof was torn off of Brookville High School (pictured) after the tornado ripped through the area overnight in Brookville, Ohio
Storm damage litters a residential neighborhood in Vandalia, Ohio. Authorities are currently surveying damage in several areas
Just before midnight, not 40 minutes after that tornado cut through, the weather service tweeted that another one was traversing its path, churning up debris densely enough to be seen on radar. These Snapchat screen shots show damage in Dayton, Ohio
The power response will require a 'multi-day restoration effort,' utility Dayton Power & Light said in an early morning tweet. The company said 64,000 of its customers alone were without power. This photo of a damaged truck is seen in Dayton, Ohio
No serious injuries have been reported in Ohio but residents are currently surveying their damaged neighborhoods and homes (left and right, from Dayton, Ohio)
At least half a dozen communities from eastern Indiana through central Ohio suffered damage, according to the National Weather Service. A resident took this footage in Dayton, Ohio
In Harrison Township fire chief Mark Lynch said that the town appeared to be hit by 'World War III' and that it will take 'several years of rebuilding'.
The NWS tweeted Monday night that a 'large and dangerous tornado' hit near Trotwood, Ohio, eight miles northwest of Dayton.
Several apartment buildings were damaged or destroyed. Emergency crews started going door-to-door in the middle of the night and into Tuesday morning to help anyone trapped by debris in Indiana and Ohio.
Police scanners indicated that dozens of people trapped in their homes and needed help.
Madison County Emergency Management spokesman Todd Harmeson said least 75 homes were damaged in Pendleton and the nearby community of Huntsville.
Seven people were reported injured in the storm in Pendleton.
Madison County authorities said roads in Pendleton, about 35 miles northeast of Indianapolis, are blocked with trees, downed power lines and utility poles. Pendleton High School is open as a shelter.
The NWS said a survey team will investigate damage in Madison County and possibly in Henry County. Another team may survey damage in Tippecanoe County.
The 'large and dangerous' tornado (pictured) wreaked havoc after touching down near Dayton, Ohio, late Monday night
Photos taken by residents showed severely damaged homes, and trees and downed power lines
One tornado's path crossed over Interstate 75 and images showed debris strewn across the highway
Some 5 million people were without power early Tuesday in Ohio alone. Residents are seen walking through debris as they try to enter their residence at the Westbrooke Village Apartment building in Trotwood, Ohio
Two tornadoes hit the metro area of Dayton, Ohio, on Monday night in the span of just 30 minutes apart, according to the NWS.
The aftermath left some lanes of Interstate 75 blocked north of Dayton.
Trucks with plows were scraping tree branches and rubble to the side to get the major north-south route reopened, according to Matt Bruning, a spokesman for the Ohio Department of Transportation.
Bruning said that trying to clear the debris in the middle of the night is a difficult task, complicated by darkness and downed power lines.
He said tow trucks would eventually have to deal with damaged vehicles along the road.
'We'll do a more thorough cleaning after we get lanes opened,' he told the Associated Press by text early Tuesday, noting that tow trucks would have to haul off damaged vehicles along the roadway, too.
In Brookville, west of Dayton, the storm tore roofs off schools, destroyed a barn and heavily damaged houses.
Crews were also clearing debris in two other counties northwest of Dayton.
In Montgomery County, Sheriff Streck said many roads were impassable.
The sheriff's office initially said the Northridge High School gymnasium would serve as an emergency shelter in Dayton but later said it wasn't useable.
A car is covered with debris that was ripped from an apartments building after a tornado touched down overnight in Trotwood, Ohio
Storm damage liters a residential neighborhood as fire fighters and city crews work to assess damage
Trailers stand damaged following a tornado in the Northridge suburb of Dayton, Ohio
Debris sits in the front yard of a house on Rolfe Avenue in Dayton, Ohio, on Tuesday morning following a devastating tornado
A resident assesses tornado damage on Rolfe Avenue in Dayton, Ohio, on Tuesday morning
Power lines and trees were downed and debris was scattered across roads in Beavercreek, Ohio, after a tornado struck
At least half a dozen communities from eastern Indiana through central Ohio suffered damage, according to the NWS.
Another reported tornado touched down just east of Dayton at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.
When another tornado struck around 75 miles away in Circleville, Ohio, just before 1am the agency warned residents to 'take cover'.
One tornado was described as 'large and dangerous'. It wreaked havoc in western Ohio after tearing through buildings and causing widespread damage.
The first destructive tornado first touched down in the city of Trotwood, just outside Dayton, at about 11pm on Monday night before moving through the state.
At the time, the NWS described the tornado as 'extremely dangerous' and warned residents to remain in their shelters as it tore through the heavily populated area.
'This is a life threatening situation', the NWS warned in a tweet.
The agency also told residents to 'take cover' in two nearby counties.
'RADAR CONFIRMED TORNADO JUST SOUTH OF CIRCLEVILLE, OHIO. TAKE COVER IF YOU ARE IN SOUTHEAST PICKAWAY COUNTY OR SOUTHWEST FAIRFIELD COUNTY!!!' a spokesman tweeted.
Weather officials reported signs on their radars of debris being lifted tens of thousands of feet when the first tornado touched down.
Photos taken by residents showed severely damaged homes and buildings as well as downed trees and power lines.
The most severe damage was reported in the Dayton metro area and Celina, about 60 miles north-west of Dayton (home pictured in the area)
Emergency crews started going door-to-door in the middle of the night and into Tuesday morning to check on residents in Indiana and Ohio (pictured is the inside of a home in Dayton)
The storms strew debris so thick that at one point, highway crews had to use snowplows (pictured) to clear an interstate
Residents took photos of a destroyed Aldi supermarket and downed power lines near Beavercreek, Ohio, a suburb of Dayton, after it was struck by the tornado
The NWS reported that some residents were trapped in collapsed buildings in several areas with firefighters and EMTs having difficulty reaching the scenes due to debris in the roads and power lines blocking highways.
There were reports of houses being cut in half and others that were completely flattened.
The steeple of the New Life Worship Center in Dayton snapped off when one tornado tore through. Part of the center's roof was also torn off and landed in the car park.
About 25 people, including children, were reported to be hiding in the church at the time.
Soon after the tornado struck the Dayton metro area, there were reports of severe, tornado-producing thunderstorms striking the same areas and multiple tornado warnings were put in place for Montgomery County.
The weather service issued several tornado warnings for cities outside Daytona and urged residents to be vigilant as the night went on.
Multiple warnings were still in place after midnight, including for Cedarville, Wilberforce and Jamestown.
One resident posted footage of damaged buildings in Dayton (left), while another showed the damage to their home (right)
The NWS warned residents in south east Pickaway County or south west Fairfield County to 'take cover' as a tornado was confirmed south of Circleville, Ohio
Lightening illuminated the sky above Dayton as a tornado struck the area, causing devastation to buildings and homes
The devastation in Ohio comes after a week of tornadoes in Missouri and Oklahoma.
Early Tuesday morning, the president tweeted his support for tornado survivors in Oklahoma, where two people were killed and 29 were injured by a twister that struck a motel and mobile home park over the weekend.
The tornado was the third in a week to rake the central US.
President Donald Trump tweeted: Spoke with @GovStitt of Oklahoma last night from Japan because of the devastating tornadoes. Told him that @FEMA and the federal government are fully behind him and the great people of Oklahoma.'
In Tulsa, officials were monitoring the Arkansas River after the US Army Corps of Engineers raised the flow at the upriver Keystone Dam by 65 per cent since last week to 275,000 cubic feet per second.
The heavier flow is testing two aging levees in Tulsa, the city said.
Flooded areas of Arkansas and Oklahoma are currently bracing for more rain that will feed the already swollen Arkansas River, forecasters said on Monday.
Another three died last Wednesday when a tornado packing speeds of 160mph tore through Jefferson City in Missouri.
At the time, Missouri Public Safety confirmed in a tweet that three people were killed in the Golden City area of Barton County, and several injured in the Carl Junction area of Jasper County
Arkansas, Oklahoma and Missouri have all activated National Guard units to respond to the storms.
The tornado struck the city of Trotwood, just outside Dayton, at about 11pm on Monday night
In Wagner Ford and along Interstate 75 in Dayton, Ohio, roofs on buildings were missing, chimneys were seen lying in the road and houses were destroyed
A man walking through the devastation in Dayton, Ohio, as debris was left across the pavement and road, power lines were damaged and buildings ripped apart
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