OHIO — Gov. Mike DeWine said Thursday the state asked the Federal Emergency Management Agency to perform a damage assessment on impacted homeowners, businesses and renters that were affected by the tornadoes that struck Ohio last Thursday. 

DeWine said there will be six FEMA damage assessment teams that will inspect the 11 Ohio counties affected — Logan, Auglaize, Mercer, Darke, Miami, Union, Delaware, Licking, Hancock, Crawford and Richland.

“Ohioans are resilient. When I toured the damage at Indian Lake, I heard over and over again from the residents I talked to about their resolve to rebuild. Having FEMA assess the damage is the next step in helping the affected communities recover,” said DeWine.

DeWine has already declared a state of emergency for those counties as well. 

Last Wednesday, at least nine tornadoes struck central Ohio, killing three people and injuring at least 25 others. Many were left to pick up the pieces of their homes. The nine tornadoes ranged from EF-1 to EF-3. Recovery efforts continue this week, and state and local officials are focusing on helping storm victims, debris removal and long-term recovery.