Gov. Mike DeWine said he is concerned about storms forecast to develop overnight as residents in Ohio's southwestern and western counties sleep.
Those living in Hamilton, Butler, Darke and Preble counties are expected to see 1 to 4 inches of rain overnight, DeWine said at an Aug. 13 press conference at the Ohio Emergency Management Agency. That rainfall is a serious concern because the ground is already saturated from previous storms, he said.
Meteorologists project the rain will start at about 11 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 13, and go on until 4 a.m., Aug. 14, in those areas, DeWine said. The rain is forecast to be heaviest between 1 and 4 a.m. Aug. 14.
DeWine advised those living in flood-prone areas to take "all means of notification" with them to bed,
making sure devices are on and can be heard if a flood warning hits.
In Perry County, it is estimated that around 375 people remain out of their homes due to flooding and damage on Aug, 11, DeWine said. The small village of Crooksville was hit hard, with dozens of buildings sustaining obvious signs of damage after high waters swept through the area Aug. 11.
Perry County had the highest rainfall in Ohio with 6.36 and 6.54 inches of rain recorded, according to a map from the National Weather Service.
The Ohio National Guard was deployed to the county, where they helped direct traffic, DeWine said. By the time the National Guard arrived, DeWine said, the rescues had been complete, and the water levels dropped. The National Guard will be leaving the area tomorrow morning.
However, DeWine acknowledged it might be necessary for the National Guard to turn its attention to the Western side of the state if severe storm or flooding damage occurs.
Those who lost their homes in the flood, like residents in Perry County, are being immediately assisted by the Red Cross. In terms of federal assistance for disaster relief, DeWine said there is a particular process that must follow, including damage assessment in each impacted county, sending concrete damage numbers to the federal government and, finally, awaiting a decision on assistance.
Very few people who had their homes severely damaged by flooding had flood insurance, DeWine said.
"These are people who many times have lost everything, and they've lost everything they've owned," DeWine said.
Dispatch Reporter Nora Igelnik can be reached at nigelnik@dispatch.com.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Gov. DeWine warns of overnight flooding risks in western Ohio counties
