Confirmed Tornado Levels Goshen Buildings; Downs Trees, Power Lines

GOSHEN, OH — A tornado ripped through the Cincinnati suburb of Goshen on Wednesday, leveling buildings and downing trees and power lines.

The tornado touched down around 2:30 p.m Wednesday about 30 miles northeast of Cincinnati. It received a preliminary rating of EF2 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale. An EF2 is considered a strong tornado with winds of 111 to 135 mph.

A storm survey team from the National Weather Service team in Wilmington along with Clermont County emergency officials confirmed the damage was consistent with an EF2 tornado.

Township administrator Steve Pegram told WXIX up to 200 homes and businesses sustained damage.

"The majority of the damage is in the area of state Route 28 and Goshen Road, and moving south," he said. "We do have extensive damage to our fire station and police station, which has caused us some difficulties in coordinating a response"

Officials declared a state of emergency and an emergency shelter was opened at Goshen High School for people left homeless in the storm.

Photos and video posted on social media showed a debris field of splintered wood and mangled metal from buildings and trees. Several buildings sustained severe damage. One person was hit by flying debris in Miami Township.

"A tornado hit here in Goshen, Ohio. I’m so thankful it just grazed us," one person tweeted with an accompanying photo of a downed tree.

About 100,000 people lost power in the area. More than 1,100 Duke Energy crews and 350 out-of-state crews were working Thursday to restore power to the region.

Food and water can be donated at Goshen High School, which is also the site of a Red Cross shelter, officials said.