Storms that tore through Dublin on Tuesday morning, Aug. 11, knocked trees and power lines across at least five major roads. The damage forced closures and sent emergency crews scrambling to clear corridors before addressing neighborhood streets.
The City of Dublin confirmed downed trees and power lines on Frantz Road, Emerald Parkway, Muirfield Drive, the State Route 33 ramp to I-270 South, and Dublin and Rings Road, according to NBC4. Officers were directed to respond to major roadways first, with neighborhood streets to follow.
Near the Avery Road railroad crossing, the Hilliard Division of Police reported a train stopped after downed trees blocked the tracks, closing the crossing, WOSU reported.
Wind gusts hit 82 mph at John Glenn Columbus International Airport during the storm, according to ThisWeekNews. The National Weather Service suspects a tornado may have passed through the Dublin area around 10:30 a.m. and tracked toward Ohio State University, but surveyors could not reach the site for confirmation until Aug. 12 or Aug. 13 because of continued storm activity, the Columbus Dispatch reported.
No tornado watch or warning was issued for Franklin County on Aug. 11. The county was under a severe thunderstorm watch and flash flood warnings for most of the day.
Viewer-submitted photos showed a tree fallen across a parking lot at Shrier Rings Road and Shamrock Court in Dublin, and another tree snapped near a Dublin hospital.
Power outages
AEP Ohio reported more than 130,000 customers without power across its service area as of 1:30 p.m. Aug. 11. Out-of-state crews were arriving from as far as Oklahoma to assist with restoration.
"We're gonna need some patience from our customers, cause this is going to take a couple days, and we understand that that's not great for them to hear, but there's an extensive amount of damage," Matt Bennett, AEP Ohio's director of operations, told WOSU.
Gov. Mike DeWine confirmed at least one storm-related death in Roseville, Muskingum County, and activated the National Guard High Water Rescue Unit for flooded areas. The fatality was not in Dublin. Speaking from the Ohio Emergency Operations Center on Aug. 11, DeWine warned that flooding could persist "for the next several days at least."
The Aug. 11 storms were the second wave of a two-storm system. The first hit late Aug. 10, with heavy rain and flooding concentrated southeast of Columbus. The Tuesday morning wave struck Madison and Franklin counties, including Dublin.
As we reported Aug. 11, homeowners whose properties sustained storm damage may qualify for a temporary property tax reduction through the Franklin County Auditor.
The City of Dublin had not confirmed whether road closures remained in effect as of Aug. 12. The National Weather Service tornado survey of the Dublin area is expected to begin Aug. 12 or Aug. 13.
