Governor DeWine tours storm damage in Franklin, Perry, Muskingum counties

On Wednesday afternoon, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine visited displaced residents and toured areas impacted by Tuesday's severe weather in Perry and Muskingum counties.

Governor DeWine declared a state of emergency in both counties Tuesday afternoon after storms dropped six to seven inches of rain in the area, causing widespread flooding. The water caused significant damage to infrastructure, homes and businesses.

"These are resilient communities, and they will come back from this," said Governor DeWine. "The next step is to conduct assessments to determine the extent of the damage across Perry, Muskingum and the other Ohio counties impacted by flooding and wind damage."

Wednesday morning, Governor DeWine also toured parts of Franklin County that were impacted by straight line wind damage. The statewide power outage totaled  171,575 customers as of 3:30 p.m.

As more rain moves into Ohio tonight, Governor DeWine warned that flash flooding is still a major concern. 

"Ohioans should continue to remain vigilant and take all weather warnings seriously," said Governor DeWine. "The National Weather Service is forecasting more storms throughout Ohio tonight that could cause flash flooding. If you encounter high water, please do not attempt to cross it."

Members of the Ohio National Guard, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Ohio Department of Transportation, and Ohio State Highway Patrol continue to actively assist local authorities, and the Ohio Emergency Management Agency remains engaged with county and state partners to assist local communities with their needs.