Mahoning County escapes wrath of storms

YOUNGSTOWN -- Walter Duzzny, Mahoning County Emergency Management Agency executive director, said the county was lucky in regard to Sunday night's severe storm, escaping any fatalities or injuries.
He and Jackson Township Fire Chief Wayne McDougal will check out a report today that a tornado hit a house and outbuildings on the property, he said. He also wants a representative of the National Weather Service to visit the area and determine whether a tornado did touch down.
The Mahoning County Sheriff's Department took reports of downed utility poles and other wind damage in the North Palmyra Road area of North Jackson, but there was no area-wide loss of power.
Duzzny said what may be most important is that the area had prompt warning of the storm and was able to prepare.
Austintown
Austintown Township police and firefighters responded to several calls of downed power lines and trees during the storm.
The hardest hit area was near the intersection of North Four Mile Run, North Raccoon and Lanterman roads. Huge tree limbs littered the ground in that area, and Lanterman Road east of North Four Mile Run Road remained closed this morning while crews cleaned up. Two large evergreen trees lay on their sides in one Lanterman Road yard after they were ripped from the ground.
A section of Mahoning Avenue near Idaho Road was reduced to one lane Sunday night because of flooding. All lanes were opened today.