Community cleaning up after EF-0 tornadoes, strong winds cause widespread damage

WARREN COUNTY — People are picking up the pieces after severe weather moved through the Miami Valley Sunday night.

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As reported on News Center 7 at 6:00, the National Weather Service confirmed on Monday that three EF-0 tornadoes touched down in Butler and Warren counties.

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Into the early morning hours, Storm Center 7 tracked multiple severe thunderstorm and tornado watches and warnings.

People throughout the region had to deal with hail, strong winds, lightning, and heavy rain.

One of the EF-0 tornadoes touched down along Corwin Road in Waynesville. News Center 7′s John Bedell talked to residents on the street on Monday.

>> PHOTOS: Damage reported after severe storms Sunday

“It got hairy for a few minutes the wind really popped up, the lightning, the thunder,” Pam Watkins said.

Watkins lives in Waynesville, and she said it wasn’t long before they were heading to the basement.

“We’re worried because the road behind you is Elbon Road and here it is being featured on the news that there’s a possible tornadic activity in Waynesville,” Watkins said.

The Miami Scenic Bike Path, near Corwin Road and Elbon Road, was littered with debris and broken branches.

Ohio Department of Natural Resources crews were seen cleaning up.

Whitney Moore owns Blue Ox Portable Services, a “port-a-john” business.

“You guys started talking about Corwin Road, Gard Road, Waynesville Road and instantly we knew, because we have a ton of units in that area, we were probably gonna have issues this morning,” Moore said.

Most of their business and clients are at places like new-build construction sites in this pocket of the county.

“We had a ton of flipped units. We had one unit thrown roughly 30 yards,” Moore said.

She said this made for a messy clean-up.

“So, what would have been a normal eight-to-10-hour day is gonna probably take us 15 to 16 hours and multiple days to make sure everyone is cleaned up and taken care of,” Moore said.

Watkins said she was cleaning up at her parent’s house in Waynesville.

“I was just glad to get here and see a roof on the house. You know, I really was,” she said.

As intense as the storm felt Sunday, she’s relieved the damage was minor.

“We’ve managed to get it buttoned up with tarps and keep the weather out of the house. Just got to get a repair now,” Watkins said.

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