‘Community will come back;’ DeWine, state officials tour Logan Co. tornado damage

LOGAN COUNTY — Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, Lieutenant Governor Jon Husted, and other state leaders gathered in Logan County to assess the damage caused by a deadly EF-3 tornado.

DeWine and the others toured the area to see the devastation firsthand.

>> PHOTOS: Severe storms, radar-confirmed tornadoes move through Miami Valley

In discussing the damage, DeWine told media gathered at Indian Lake High School that it was “absolutely amazing” to see the resilience, toughness, and strength of the people in Logan County. He also expressed his sympathies to the families of the three people who died in the storm, as well as to those who lost their businesses and homes.

“This Indian Lake community will come back. And that’s the message I got from everybody” DeWine said.

DeWine said there is a “system set up” to help those impacted and that there was a potential for federal and state assistance. Sima Merick, Ohio’s Emergency Management Director, said the damage assessments are an important part of assessing loss insurance and financial assistance recovery.

“We’re going to do everything we can, working with the state legislature, to make sure that this community comes back,” DeWine said.

>> RELATED: 3 dead, multiple serious injuries from Thursday night’s storms in Logan County

Officials addressed the impact of the tornadoes in the high school gymnasium which was full of clothes and supplies donated to help those in need.

“This is what we were told from a school administrator before we walked in, what they referred to as the ‘lake effect,’” State Senator Rob McColley said regarding all of the donations that have poured in. “The community deciding to come together as one and rally around each other.”

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