About 274,000 without power, 84 Ohio counties reported wind damage

About 274,000 without power, 84 Ohio counties reported wind damage
by Molly Kavanaugh and Ellen Kleinerman/
Plain Dealer Reporters
Monday September 15, 2008, 11:38 PM
Strickland declares state emergency, restoring power could take days, clean up could take weeks
For the thousands of homeowners in Bay Village, Shaker Heights, Brecksville and elsewhere who have relied on flashlights, ice chests and carryout food since Sunday, the worst may not be over.

Crews will need several more days to restore electric power, FirstEnergy Corp. spokesman Mark Durbin said.

"We're trying to be as honest as possible. It could be by the end of the week," Durbin said.

Dozens of Northeast Ohio schools were expected to remain closed today because of power outages.

Cleanup of the debris could take weeks.

Sunday's strong winds were blamed for five deaths across the state, including a 12-year-old boy in Lorain. A boater was still missing late Monday after his boat capsized on Lake Milton in Mahoning County.

Gov. Ted Strickland declared a statewide emergency, saying 84 of Ohio's 88 countries had reported damage from high winds that pummeled much of the state for hours Sunday afternoon and evening.

Read the full story in our online Metro section

linked from RawStory