DARKE COUNTY — Tornadoes, severe thunderstorms and periods of heavy rainfall struck multiple areas of Darke County and surrounding counties early Monday afternoon.
Areas with confirmed damage include southern Darke County near the villages of Arcanum and Castine, as well as northern portions of Montgomery County, specifically on Arlington Road and Baltimore-Phillipsburg Pike. There were confirmed reports of wind rotation in Versailles, Bradford and south of Greenville.
There were also reports of damage to a mobile home near the community of Laura in Miami County.
A barn roof at a residence on Arlington Road was partially torn off. Mark Evans, a resident at the Arlington Road home, described the barn roof as being pulled off by “swirling winds.” Parts of the roof crashed atop a camper parked near the barn.
The roof of a two-story house on Baltimore-Phillipsburg Road was completely sheared off. A barn on the property also sustained damage. According to law enforcement officers on the scene, there were no injuries at either location.
The storm system moved northwest, skirting the southern edges of Greenville, before moving toward Gettysburg and Bradford, and on into Shelby County.
Students at all Darke County schools took shelter during the warnings and were not released to their parents or loaded onto buses until the threats had passed.
The first tornado warning came shortly before 2 p.m. affecting Darke, Miami, Montgomery and Preble Counties. The warning briefly expired before being reactivated for Darke, Miami and Montgomery at approximately 2:20 p.m. A third warning was issued for Darke, Miami and Shelby Counties at approximately 3 p.m.
The National Weather Service (NWS) canceled the final Darke County tornado warning at 3:25 p.m.
Though local law enforcement agencies reported sighting the twisters, the NWS has yet to verify the location or wind speed of the tornadoes.
Myron Padgett, a representative of the NWS in Wilmington, Ohio, said the agency could not confirm the touchdowns, but said the agency was in the process of investigating.
“We have a team out now taking a look at the damage,” he said. “We may not have any information to confirm until tomorrow [Tuesday].”
