Ohio elementary school’s roof ripped off by severe storm while students were on spring break
Communities in Ohio, Kentucky and West Virginia were highlighted by the Storm Prediction Center for being at increased risk for severe weather, including tornadoes.
Tornado Watches issued for 15 million in Ohio and Tennessee valleys
Tornado Watches were issued on Tuesday from Ohio to northern Alabama and Mississippi ahead of a potential severe weather outbreak.
PROCTORVILLE, Ohio – Students at one of three public schools that service communities around Lawrence County, Ohio, will be in temporary classrooms when they return from spring break after a severe thunderstorm was credited with doing significant damage to Fairland West Elementary School.
Photos taken Tuesday show the roof of several classrooms had been ripped away, with desks resembling a mangled mess.
Despite winds being estimated to be at least hurricane-force, a bulletin board that reads "Don’t stop until you’re proud" still hangs on the wall, and students’ name tags are still on their desks.
"I am so grateful that we were not in session, and no one was hurt," Roni Hayes, superintendent of Fairland schools, said in a statement after the storms.
Data from PowerOutage.us showed Lawrence County was the hardest impacted region in the Buckeye State with more than 50% of customers reported to be without power.
Meteorologists with the National Weather Service office in Charleston, West Virginia, will be tasked with surveying the damage and determining whether a tornado was responsible for it.
In nearby Boyd County, Kentucky, NWS meteorologists have already determined that at least one tornado uprooted trees and displaced mobile homes.
Meteorologists said the damage resembled what is considered to be an EF-1 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale but will not know for sure until ground observations are taken once the risk of severe weather moves out of the area.
WATCH: DRONE VIDEO SHOWS TWISTER RIPPING THROUGH SOUTHERN INDIANA
Satellite animation of a severe weather outbreak on Tuesday, April 2, 2024. (NOAA)
The Fairland school district is already making plans to move elementary students to buildings that did not sustain damage in the storm.
The district services about 1,400 students, with many teachers, parents and residents counting their blessings that the severe weather outbreak happened when children were not at school.
"Praise Jesus they are on spring break this week," Ashley Taliaferro posted on social media. "Trying not to let my mind float to imagining all the terrified babies that could have been in there."
The threat for rounds of severe storms is expected to continue through Wednesday morning for the Appalachian region before the entire storm system pushes off the Eastern Seaboard.