Residents, first responders, and Indian Lake school officials and students came together Friday morning inside Indian Lake High School to have a community breakfast.
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Governor Mike DeWine activated the state disaster relief program for Mercer and 10 other counties to help with the impact of severe storm events from the start of the year. Government and eligible private non-profit organizations in Mercer County will be able to apply for supplemental state assistance for the EF-2 tornadoes on May 7-8th. One tornado by Coldwater reached speeds of 120 miles per hour. The other that started in Montezuma Township hit speeds of 130 miles per hour. No injuries or deaths were reported.
2024 has been a damaging year of weather for Ohio. The Buckeye State has recorded an unprecedented 70 tornadoes this year alone, which surpasses the previous record of most tornadoes in a year of 62 set back in 1992. Auglaize County has been particularly hard hit this year with an EF-1, an EF-2, and the intense March 14th EF-3 tornado causing damage and even total destruction.
On Friday night, checks were presented to three Ohio residents who found the Our Lady of Fatima Shrine following the March 14th Tornado. Jimmy Dawson of Russells Point, Richard Martin of Marysville, and Josh George of Delaware received the monetary gift from the American Society of Ephesus, ASE, for diving into Indian Lake and extensively searching the water for the 20-foot fiberglass statue of the Virgin Mary. For over 2 weeks, ASE was unsuccessful in finding the beloved statue by drone, and that's when the dive team trio stepped in... and to this day, they remember the moment when they found her.
July 18, 2024, Press Release from the American Society of Ephesus, Inc.: RUSSELLS POINT, Ohio, July 18, 2024 – On March 14, 2024, the 60-year old Our Lady of Fatima Shrine at Indian Lake was destroyed by an EF-3 tornado that hit the lake region. The 20-foot-tall fiberglass statue was blown far out into the lake and was lost. Efforts to locate the statue by drone were not successful for over two weeks.
In the last four years, the Indian Lake region has seen three major incidents that could have broken them, but they kept working to get back on their feet. The president of the Indian Lake Chamber and Visitors Bureau at this morning's Wake, Rattle, and Roll is inviting everyone to visit the lake. They made it through COVID to face an algae and weed problem they overcame, only to be hit by a winter tornado in March. The region is still recovering from the twister but is looking forward to the summer influx of visitors. They are investing in a study to determine where to go from here.
RUSSELLS POINT, OH (WLIO) - For many, Memorial Day weekend marks the beginning of summer, and the businesses of Indian Lake are more than read…
An Auglaize County campground is glad to be open on Memorial Day after an EF-3 tornado hit them a little over two months ago. Glacier Hills Lakes officially opened for business today. They weren't sure if they'd be ready for the holiday after nearly 100 campsites sustained damage from the tornado.
May 21, 2024, Press Release from the Glacier Hill Lakes RV Resort: Wapakoneta Ohio May 21, 2024 – When an EF-3 tornado tore through Glacier Hill Lakes RV Resort on March 14, 2024, it was unknown whether residents would be able to return for the 2024 camping season. As a result of the hard work of staff, contractors, and hundreds of volunteers, the resort will open this Friday, May 24th at 9 a.m., celebrating the Memorial Day holiday with fun and festivities.
AUGLAIZE AND LOGAN COUNTIES, OH (WLIO) - Starting Monday, FEMA will have two offices in our region to help victims of the March 14th tornadoes.