LOGAN COUNTY, OH (WLIO) - It's been nearly three weeks since a devastating EF-3 tornado touched down along Indian Lake, leaving hundreds of homes damaged or destroyed. Ohio Governor Mike DeWine was there the day after the storms, and today he made a return trip.
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine made a return trip to Indian Lake on Tuesday, meeting with local officials to get an update on the recovery process so far and what the community's needs are going forward.
"We just had a good meeting with some of the leaders of the Indian Lake region: county commissioners, mayors, chamber, others. Really to kind of get an understanding of really where we are here. Indian Lake is a very, very special place. This is a place that is loved not only by the people who live here but people who come here during the summer. So it is I think imperative that we do everything we can at the state level to be of assistance," stated Governor Mike DeWine, (R) Ohio.
The latest numbers from local officials indicate some 500 homes were damaged, with around 250 households still displaced by the storm, their homes either destroyed or otherwise unlivable, making housing among the top priorities for recovery. Last Friday, Governor DeWine asked for a FEMA presidential disaster declaration.
"We are told by FEMA that this decision could take a long, long time before we even get a decision. We hope that is not true, but they're telling us this could take a long time. Second, there's no guarantee that we will get this presidential declaration," added Governor DeWine.
In the meantime, local leaders plan to work with the state to help small business, rebuild local government infrastructure that was destroyed, and secure housing for those who need it right now.
"Certainly our main goal is to find housing that's appropriate, that's safe for all the residents that have been displaced so far through this disaster," commented Joe Antram, Logan County commissioner.
"It's a huge concern because a lot of people didn't have a lot to begin with, but that was their home, and that's what makes them special and a part of the lake, and yet they're such giving, giving people that our concern is the ones that want to continue to stay," said Mayor Elaine Fagan Moore, village of Lakeview.
"This is a community that needs help, and you know Indian Lake is a part of Logan County, and I'm a Logan County commissioner. I want what's best for this area. I love the outpouring we've seen from the community wrapping their arms around each other, and I want that to continue," stated Mark Robinson, Logan County commissioner.
Local leaders and state officials alike say this will be a marathon and not a sprint as Indian Lake looks to recover from that devastating EF-3 tornado.
