EUCLID, Ohio — A strong storm rolled through Northeast Ohio on Monday, causing damage to several properties and even snapping a 50-year-old oak tree in half in Euclid.
RELATED: Storms tear through Northeast Ohio, leaving hundreds of thousands without power
Jasmine Carlsen was home when the storm passed through the City of Euclid.
“I was watching News Channel 5 because they interrupted the show that I was watching,” said Carlsen. “[News 5] alerted us that it was coming from Westlake, and then it hit Rocky River. I came outside to look and saw the trees started to blow. Rain started to come. Eventually, the rain started going sideways.”
Carlsen said her neighborhood is typically hit with big storms once or twice a year, but this time felt different.
“When I saw the branches start to fly, I got a little bit nervous. I called my husband and went into the basement. I hung out there for a while. I was shocked the tree came down because it was a very healthy tree. That goes to show you that the winds are pretty bad,” said Carlsen.
Across the street from Carlsen is a 50-year-old oak tree that snapped in half. It took down power lines and blocked off a chunk of the street.
Another neighbor on Carlsen’s block is Paul Pondar.
“It was a white-out. I couldn't even see the house across the street. It was just a wall of water that came up... this was really loud and powerful,” he said.
Pondar kept a 1969 Mini Cooper at the back of his property.
When the storm swept through, a tree was thrown onto Pondar’s vehicle – caving in the roof.
“It’s sort of irreplaceable. It’s right-hand drive. It’s a real rarity and they’re just so darn cute,” said Pondar.
Pondar said he’s going to try to restore his Mini Cooper.
A five-minute drive away from Pondar and Carlsen is Martin Blythewood. He’s visiting Euclid.
“It was like a tornado. The streets were over flooded. It came up to the sidewalks. The tree is down. Electricity is down. A power wire is on my friend's car,” said Blythewood.
He said listening to the storm reminded him of his military days with “all the booms and the bangs.”
“I tried to come outside but the rain… it was so hard, and the wind was blowing so rapidly that you couldn't. For me not to be here for five years and then come home to see this; it was like, wow,” said Blythewood.
He estimated the storm lasted half an hour.
When News 5 talked with Blythewood, he said his house had been without power for at least four hours.
“The crazy thing is that they have power on that side of the street, but we don’t have it on this side,” added Blythewood. “When it came, it came. And it came hard.”
Authorities say that if you see wires down, assume it they are live, stay at least 30 feet away and call 911 to report it.
