Residents of Euclid, Ohio, are assessing the aftermath of a powerful storm that wreaked havoc on Monday, leaving behind significant property damage and downed trees, including a 50-year-old oak that was split in half.
Jasmine Carlsen, a Euclid resident, was at home when the storm struck. “I was watching News Channel 5 when they interrupted the show I was watching,” Carlsen recalled. “[News 5] alerted us that it was coming from Westlake, and then it hit Rocky River. I stepped outside and saw the trees begin to sway. The rain started, and soon it was coming down sideways.”
Carlsen, accustomed to severe weather hitting her neighborhood once or twice a year, said this storm felt different. “When I saw the branches starting to fly, I got nervous. I called my husband and went into the basement. I stayed there for a while. I was shocked when the tree came down because it was a very healthy tree. It just shows how powerful the winds were,” she said.
Directly across the street from Carlsen, the massive oak tree that snapped in two took down power lines, blocking a portion of the street.
Another neighbor, Paul Pondar, described the scene as surreal. “It was a white-out. I couldn’t even see the house across the street. It was just a wall of water that hit… it was really loud and powerful,” he said.
Pondar’s prized 1969 Mini Cooper, parked at the back of his property, was crushed when a tree fell on it during the storm, caving in the roof. “It’s sort of irreplaceable. It’s right-hand drive, a real rarity, and they’re just so darn cute,” said Pondar, who is determined to restore the car.
A few minutes’ drive from Pondar and Carlsen, Martin Blythewood was visiting friends in Euclid when the storm hit. “It was like a tornado. The streets were flooded, the water reached the sidewalks, and trees and power lines were down. A power wire even landed on my friend’s car,” Blythewood recounted. The storm, with its intense winds and heavy rain, brought back memories of his military days, with “all the booms and bangs.”
Blythewood estimated the storm lasted around 30 minutes. When News 5 spoke with him, his house had been without power for at least four hours. “The crazy thing is they have power on that side of the street, but we don’t have it on this side,” he noted. “When it came, it came hard.”
Authorities are urging residents to stay vigilant and avoid downed power lines. They advise staying at least 30 feet away from any fallen wires and to report them immediately by calling 911.
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