Severe storms with massive amounts of rain moved throughout much of Northeast Ohio on Aug. 23, leaving many stranded in deep water and basements flooded.
For the first time in 20 years, Lorain County Fair officials closed the late summer event in Wellington because of flooding left by the storms that swept through Aug. 23 and 24.
“We decided to close down the Lorain County Fair for today due to high water and wind damage,” said Kim Meyers, director of midway and concessions for the fair. “We had around six to seven inches hit us throughout the night, and many barns became flooded.”
The Fair Board was in contact with the Emergency Management System for Lorain County as well as Homeland Security, Meyers said.
Despite the damage, Meyers said the community quickly rallied to help.
“We have had several businesses offer to donate items for us, from bedding and straw, to equipment to help us recover,” he said. “Even other fairs in the surrounding areas like Huron, Norwalk and Ashland have sent their people out to help us clean up.”
An evacuation order went into effect for the fairgrounds at around 9:30 p.m., Aug. 23, as water flooded roadways, and the parking lot and arenas were in several feet of water.
The storms, which swept throughout northern Ohio counties between 8 p.m. and 3 a.m., brought in reports of people on top of their cars waiting for water rescues on many highways, including Interstate 90 in Lakewood, authorities said.
Golf ball-sized hail also was reported from Northeast Ohio.
Around 30 cars and trailers were left submerged in nearly 4 feet of water in the fair’s public parking area, Meyers said.
“In my 19 years of working for the Fair Board, I have never seen anything like it,” he said. “Our activities for today have been moved to tomorrow, including the Junior Fair auction.”
In Lorain County, an estimated 6 inches of rain fell, according to WOIO Channel 19 Meteorologist Jeff Tanchak. Additionally, 10,979 customers throughout the county were without power as of 11:30 a.m., Aug. 24, according to FirstEnergy.
This included 743 in Amherst and Amherst Township, 1,703 in Elyria and 5,932 in Lorain, according to FirstEnergy.
More severe thunderstorms were expected late Aug. 24 with another 2 to 4 inches of rain.
Many roadways will remain closed throughout the county due to high water and storm damage.
“We are just glad that everyone is safe,” Meyers said. “It could have been a lot worse, but we are all OK; a bit wet, but OK.”
