Before Thursday, the May 4 Memorial and surrounding trees were bathed in sunlight right outside Taylor Hall.
Friday, after Thursday night’s storm which carried into the early morning, the stone facade was torn apart, revealing metal workings, and some trees that once stood tall lied next to those once pristine benches under a gloomy sky.
Eric Mansfield, the assistant vice president of University Communications and Marketing, said he was not certain how costly the damages to the Memorial are in an interview Friday.
Ryan Shackelford, the emergency management director at Portage Prepares, which is a program meant to educate and prepare Portage County residents for emergencies, said Kent residents were affected by the storm.
“50% of the population is without power,” Shackelford said Friday morning.
As of 1 p.m. Friday, 23,284 people in Portage County were without power, according to FirstEnergy’s power map. By 10 a.m. Saturday, 10,744 people were without power.
Portage Prepares has been working with FirstEnergy, an electric company, to restore power to residents.
“Our relationship with FirstEnergy is fantastic,” Shackelford said. “It is just such a large geographical area that responses are delayed.”
According to the National Weather Service, EF1 tornadoes touched down in Cleveland, Spencer, Vermilion Township, Elmore and Mentor late Thursday and early Friday.
An EF0 tornado touched down in Bristolville, the NWS confirmed.
Shackelford confirmed no tornadoes touched down in Kent.
“[There were] no tornadoes, just high streamline winds,” he said.
Due to the high winds, tree branches, leaves and even whole trees were scattered across campus Friday morning. A large tree in front of Lowry and Merrill hall off Hilltop Drive was knocked down, in addition to other debris found around campus.
With the number of tree branches around campus, grounds crew were called in the morning to begin clean-up efforts.
“If you drive around campus, you’ll see some small and mid-sized branches down from trees,” Mansfield said. “Our crew have been out earlier this morning to clear things away.”
Shackelford reminded those who are still without power to check on their neighbors in addition to staying aware of their own situation.
“Remember not to run generators or doors, do not grill inside or outdoors, and if heat is an issue, run fans,” he said. “Check on your neighbors, it’s always more welcome if they’re elderly.”
Adriana Gasiewski is a staff reporter. Contact her at [email protected].
