WASHINGTON, May 28 (Xinhua) -- At least one person was killed with several injured after destructive massive tornado struck Dayton and nearby areas in midwestern U.S. state Ohio, the authorities said Tuesday.
Melvin Dale Hanna, 81, was killed in Celina, about 75 miles northwest of Dayton, during the storm "as the direct result of a vehicle entering his house," Celina Mayor Jeffrey Hazel said Tuesday.
"Frankly, back in the neighborhood, there's areas that looked really like a war zone," Hazel told local reporters after visiting one devastated area. "So it's a tough one in there."
Dayton, a large city in the state's southwest and the county seat of the Montgomery County, is currently under a boil-water advisory. The storms devastated dozens of buildings and trees.
"Last night about 11:30, tornadoes struck the Dayton area," Dayton Fire Chief Jeffrey Payne said. "However, we have yet to find one fatality, and we have had three minor injuries. I find that pretty miraculous."
The National Weather Service (NWS) called it a life-threatening situation as the tornado swept through the heavily populated area late Monday night.
"A large, dangerous tornado touched down last night in northwest Montgomery County. We are focused on supporting life-saving measures, such as shutting down gas lines or locating people who are trapped by debris," a post on the county's Twitter page said.
More than 80,000 people in the midwestern U.S. state of Ohio were left without power early Tuesday morning following the tornado, officials said.
Much of the U.S. Midwest is bracing for more severe weather on Tuesday. Parts of Ohio and Pennsylvania are at risk again for tornadoes, while other areas including Oklahoma City and parts of the southern state of Texas may again see damaging wind and hail, said an ABC News report.
Similar threats on Wednesday will stretch from Texas all the way to the northeastern state of New Jersey, with tornado threats highest in the southern plains, said the report, adding that more heavy rain could mean more flooding.
