Flash Flood in Ottawa County, Ohio

Thunderstorms dumped very heavy rains on Ottawa County during the evening hours of June 21st. The rain began around 7 pm with rainfall rates later in the evening exceeding three inches per hour. Rainfall totals from the storm ranged from 6 to 8 inches in the Port Clinton area with slightly lesser amounts further east and south. Widespread flash flooding occurred across the county. The flooding was especially bad in Port Clinton where firefighters rescued 15 motorists from their stranded vehicles between 10:30 and 11:30 p.m. Floodwaters over three feet deep were reported in many locations in the city. At the peak of the event, flood waters on Buckeye Boulevard were over four feet deep. Extensive flooding occurred on the ground floor of a local hospital. Several apartment buildings were also flooded in the city requiring the evacuation of dozens of residents. Flooding elsewhere in the county closed a couple dozen roads. Dozens of homes and businesses sustained significant damage from flooding that made it into their ground floors. Several hundred more homes sustained lesser damages, mainly from basement flooding. Local officials stated that this was the worst flooding seen in the county since the historic flood and severe weather episode of July 4th, 1969.