Nationwide Children's Hospital's Orthopedic and Surgery Center closed Aug. 12 due to power outages from this week's severe storms, one of several Columbus-area health system locations reporting damage from weather that's still left thousands without power.
Over 100,000 central Ohioans were without power Aug. 11 after severe thunderstorms battered the Buckeye State with high winds and several inches of rain, and even a suspected tornado. While numbers are lowering as utility crews work to restore service, tens of thousands remain without electricity in the region. Power may not be restored in some places until Aug. 14.
Nationwide Children's Linden Primary Care Center,
1390 Cleveland Ave., was also without power Aug. 12.
A spokesperson for Nationwide Children's said in an emailed statement that "affected patient families have been notified and appointments are being rescheduled or moved to other Nationwide Children’s locations."
OhioHealth also reported damage at Dublin Methodist Hospital. A spokesperson said in an emailed statement on Aug. 11 that the storm cracked and broke windows in patient rooms but a construction crew already on site for a different project helped secure the windows with boarding and placing plastic over them.
Despite the storm's damage, "OhioHealth hospitals remain operational and are safely caring for patients," the spokesperson said.
Mount Carmel Health System and Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center did not immediately respond to emailed questions about possible storm damage on Aug. 12.
The Aug. 11 storms wrecked buildings, including knocking over a gas station, causing roofs to cave in and blowing out windows. They also downed trees and even flipped over a car.
In an Aug. 11 press conference, Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther called the damage done so far "devastating" and shared information about resources available through shelters on the South Side and first responders throughout the city.
After some respite, rain is expected to return around 2 p.m. and continue into the night of Aug. 12.
Business and consumer issues reporter Samantha Hendrickson can be reached at shendrickson@dispatch.com
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Nationwide Children's outpatient centers closed after storm power outages
