Story perspectives

Storm Surge Flips Car, Triggers Emergencies Across Three States

8/12/2026

Summary

Storm Closes I-71

A car flipped onto Interstate 71 in Columbus at 10:08 a.m. on Aug 11 2026 during a severe storm.
The National Weather Service recorded an 82 mph wind gust at John Glenn International Airport.
Governor Mike DeWine declared emergencies for Perry and Crooksville counties and urged residents to heed alerts.
Columbus police closed streets in Hungarian Village, Vassor Village and Reeb-Hosack.
Interstate 71 between Greenlawn Avenue and State Route 104 was shut for cleanup.

Summary

Fire Chief Rescues

Fire chief Tyler Byrd reported rescuing ten people from a flooded home in Confluence, Pennsylvania, and one from a vehicle roof.
Governor Mike DeWine said a Roseville, Ohio resident died after floodwaters blocked responders.
Chief deputy Cody Low reported a 4-year-old child was killed in Indiana when a falling tree struck a house.

History

Historical Context

After the 1913 Great Flood left more than 250,000 homeless and prompted Ohio’s 1914 Conservancy Act and the 1917 Flood Control Act, the United States began significant federal flood-management programs. Those precedents frame today’s response to the August 2026 thunderstorms that forced Governor Mike DeWine to issue emergency orders statewide in Ohio.

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Storm Closes I-71

A car flipped onto Interstate 71 in Columbus at 10:08 a.m. on Aug 11 2026 during a severe storm.
The National Weather Service recorded an 82 mph wind gust at John Glenn International Airport.
Governor Mike DeWine declared emergencies for Perry and Crooksville counties and urged residents to heed alerts.
Columbus police closed streets in Hungarian Village, Vassor Village and Reeb-Hosack.
Interstate 71 between Greenlawn Avenue and State Route 104 was shut for cleanup.

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