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Devastating Summer Storm Cripples Lake Erie and Ohio River Regions After Week of Rain

Toledo, OH – June 7, 2025 – A ferocious summer storm tore through communities along Lake Erie and the Ohio River late Friday night, delivering destructive winds, torrential rain, and widespread flash flooding after a week of relentless rainfall. The storm, driven by a clash of humid air and a slow-moving cold front, unleashed wind gusts up to 70 mph and dumped up to 4 inches of rain in hours, plunging tens of thousands into darkness and severing critical communication networks across the region.

The National Weather Service issued severe thunderstorm and flash flood warnings for counties along Lake Erie, including Lucas, Ottawa, and Erie, as well as Ohio River communities in Hamilton and Clermont counties. Meteorologist David Harper with the NWS in Cleveland warned that soils, saturated by 6 to 8 inches of rain over the past week, were overwhelmed. “The Lake Erie coast and Ohio River banks were already at their limit, and this storm pushed them into crisis,” Harper said.

Along Lake Erie, coastal flooding ravaged Toledo and Sandusky. In Toledo’s Point Place, storm surges from the lake combined with runoff inundated homes and businesses. “Water flooded my store, and then the power and phones went out. We were completely cut off,” said small business owner Maria Lopez. In Sandusky, high winds battered Cedar Point Amusement Park, toppling trees and power lines, leaving the park without electricity and forcing a multi-day closure. In Erie County, flooded roads near Vermilion stranded motorists, with State Route 2 impassable for hours. Shoreline erosion in Sheffield Lake washed away parts of beachfront properties, damaging docks and scattering boats into the lake.

Along the Ohio River, Cincinnati’s riverfront was submerged as the swollen river breached its banks. In Hamilton County’s East End, floodwaters forced dozens of families to evacuate, while in Clermont County, mudslides near New Richmond buried roads and submerged farmland. “Our crops are ruined, and we’ve got no power or internet to even start recovering,” said farmer John Kessler, whose cornfields were underwater.

The storm’s most severe impact was the massive loss of power and communications. Over 80,000 customers lost electricity, with AEP Ohio and Duke Energy reporting extensive damage to power infrastructure. “Winds and falling trees obliterated parts of the grid, and saturated ground destabilized poles,” said AEP spokesperson Mark Reynolds. Cell towers and internet services were also crippled, with providers like Verizon and AT&T reporting widespread outages in Toledo, Sandusky, and Cincinnati. Emergency services faced challenges as 911 call centers in some areas were disrupted by communication failures.

Governor Mike DeWine declared a state of emergency for affected counties, deploying National Guard units to aid rescue and recovery efforts. “The loss of power and communications has created a critical situation along Lake Erie and the Ohio River,” DeWine said. “We’re focused on restoring essential services and ensuring safety.” Local officials are urging residents to conserve water, avoid flooded areas, and use battery-powered radios for updates due to unreliable cell service.

Cleanup is underway, but forecasters warn of lingering showers into the weekend, raising concerns about further flooding. With power and communication restoration potentially days away, communities face a difficult road to recovery. This is a developing story.

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