BEEN EXPERIENCING DAMAGE AND POWER OUTAGES ALL THROUGHOUT THIS MORNING. BUT DAMAGE IS NOT JUST HERE IN KENTUCKY. WE HAVE TO GO WEST TO DEARBORN COUNTY, INDIANA, AURORA SPECIFICALLY. WLWT NEWS 5 AARON THOMAS IS THERE. HE HAS HIS EYES ON DAMAGE TO HOMES IN THAT AREA. AARON. YEAH. HEY THERE. STEPHEN. YOU KNOW THE STORM DEFINITELY LEAVING ITS MARK HERE IN AURORA, INDIANA. YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE IT HERE BEHIND ME. THE ONGOING CLEANING EFFORTS THAT HAVE BEEN UNDERWAY FOR SEVERAL HOURS NOW. AND IN FACT, IF YOU LOOK BEYOND THESE TRUCKS, THERE'S A HOME THAT IS LEVELED. AND JUST WITHIN THE PAST FIVE MINUTES, I JUST RECEIVED A TEXT MESSAGE FROM THE PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER HERE IN DEARBORN COUNTY. HE SAYS THAT THERE HAVE BEEN UP TO TEN STRUCTURES THAT SUFFERED EITHER MINOR DAMAGE OR THEY ARE DESTROYED AS A RESULT OF THESE STORMS. WE CAN SHOW YOU SOME OF THE VIDEO THAT WE'VE CAPTURED SINCE WE'VE BEEN HERE ON SCENE. DEFINITELY. AT LAST CHECK TWO ROADS IN SOUTHEAST INDIANA REMAIN CLOSED AT THIS HOUR AS CLEANUP GETS UNDERWAY. THERE'S A LOT OF DEBRIS TO CLEAN UP FROM ALL THE POWERFUL WINDS AND HEAVY RAIN THAT SWEPT THROUGH. ONE FAMILY THAT WE KNOW OF SUFFERED DAMAGE TO THEIR HOME, AND THEIR 20 FOOT CAMPER IS NOWHERE TO BE FOUND. WE SPOKE WITH A NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR WHO SAYS HE'S THANKFUL THAT HE DIDN'T EXPERIENCE ANY DAMAGE TO HIS HOME, BUT SYMPATHIZES WITH HIS NEIGHBORS WHO DID? IT'S CRAZY. I MEAN, IT HAPPENS IN SECONDS. YOU'RE GOOD AND THEY'RE BAD. AND IT'S WE'RE ONLY A COUPLE HUNDRED YARDS AWAY FROM EACH OTHER. OKAY? OKAY. AND WE ARE TOLD THAT CREWS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILL BE ON SITE TO DETERMINE IF A TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN IN THIS AREA. AS FAR AS INJURIES, AT LEAST ONE PERSON IS REPORTED TO HAVE SUFFERED INJURIES. THEY DID NOT DISCLOSE THEIR INFORMATION AND REFUSE TO RECEIVE ANY TREATMENT ON SITE. WE'LL BE HERE THROUGHOUT THE DAY AND WE'LL BRING YOU THE LATEST AS IT BECOMES AVAILABLE LIVE IN AURORA. AARON THOMAS WLWT NEWS FIVE. AARON, THANK YOU SO MUCH. YOU HATE TO SEE THESE DESTRUCTIVE FORCES TEAR PEOPLE'S HOMES APART, BUT IN THE END, WE'VE HAD NO REPORTS OF LOSS OF LIFE
Power restored for thousands after severe storms push through region
Updated: 2:47 PM EDT Jun 18, 2026
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Severe storms, including tornado-warned storms, ripped through the Cincinnati region overnight Thursday.Storms caused many to lose power across the region.SEE LATEST OUTAGES HERE As of 3 p.m., Duke Energy is reporting just 1,000 customers are without power.In a message on their website, Duke says due to fallen trees and damaged equipment, crews are “actively assessing damage and restoring power as quickly and safely as possible.” A majority of the outages were contained to southwestern Ohio, near Harrison, in northern Kentucky in the Florence Mall area and eastern Ohio near Batavia.Duke Energy, one of the largest energy providers across Greater Cincinnati, helps residents prepare for storms in case they experience an extended power outage.If you experience an outage, you can report it by texting “OUT” to 57801.After the stormStay away from power lines that have fallen or are sagging. Consider all lines energized, as well as trees, limbs or anything in contact with lines.If a power line falls across a car that you are in, stay in the car. If you MUST get out of the car due to a fire or other immediate life-threatening situation, do your best to jump clear of the car and land on both feet. Be sure that no part of your body is touching the car when your feet touch the ground.The quickest way for customers in Ohio and Kentucky to report power outages is by calling 1.800.543.5599.You can receive status updates on a power outage affecting you by texting REG to 57801, or sign-up online at duke-energy.com/outagealerts.Generator SafetyAlways operate a generator in accordance with the manufacturer's guidelines and instructions. Do not operate more appliances and equipment than the output rating of the generator.To avoid carbon monoxide poisoning, never use a generator indoors or in attached garages.Only operate the generator outdoors in a well-ventilated, dry area away from air intakes into the home.To avoid electrocution, plug individual appliances into the generator using heavy-duty, outdoor-rated cords with a wire gauge adequate for the appliance load.If connecting into the house wiring is necessary on a temporary basis, homes should have a transfer switch installed by a licensed electrician.
Severe storms, including tornado-warned storms, ripped through the Cincinnati region overnight Thursday.
Storms caused many to lose power across the region.
SEE LATEST OUTAGES HERE
As of 3 p.m., Duke Energy is reporting just 1,000 customers are without power.
In a message on their website, Duke says due to fallen trees and damaged equipment, crews are “actively assessing damage and restoring power as quickly and safely as possible.”
A majority of the outages were contained to southwestern Ohio, near Harrison, in northern Kentucky in the Florence Mall area and eastern Ohio near Batavia.
Duke Energy, one of the largest energy providers across Greater Cincinnati, helps residents prepare for storms in case they experience an extended power outage.
If you experience an outage, you can report it by texting “OUT” to 57801.
After the storm
- Stay away from power lines that have fallen or are sagging. Consider all lines energized, as well as trees, limbs or anything in contact with lines.
- If a power line falls across a car that you are in, stay in the car. If you MUST get out of the car due to a fire or other immediate life-threatening situation, do your best to jump clear of the car and land on both feet. Be sure that no part of your body is touching the car when your feet touch the ground.
- The quickest way for customers in Ohio and Kentucky to report power outages is by calling 1.800.543.5599.
- You can receive status updates on a power outage affecting you by texting REG to 57801, or sign-up online at duke-energy.com/outagealerts.
Generator Safety
- Always operate a generator in accordance with the manufacturer's guidelines and instructions. Do not operate more appliances and equipment than the output rating of the generator.
- To avoid carbon monoxide poisoning, never use a generator indoors or in attached garages.
- Only operate the generator outdoors in a well-ventilated, dry area away from air intakes into the home.
- To avoid electrocution, plug individual appliances into the generator using heavy-duty, outdoor-rated cords with a wire gauge adequate for the appliance load.
- If connecting into the house wiring is necessary on a temporary basis, homes should have a transfer switch installed by a licensed electrician.
