Indian Lake State Park, except Fox Island, to reopen Friday following deadly tornado
Governor Mike DeWine announced on Wednesday the reopening of Indian Lake State Park, except Fox Island, on Friday following deadly March 14 tornado. Indian Lake State Park, except Fox Island, will reopen Friday following a deadly tornado that killed three people in Logan County, Ohio, according to Gov. Mike DeWine's office. The closure of Fox Island was due to extensive damage to the park, including downed trees and a destroyed shelter house, as crews completed clearing the debris. The campground and park officials will also reopen the campground. Park officials will modify "no wake zone" areas for boating due to possible tornado debris, and additional buoys will be placed between Paradise Island east to Orchard Island and Orchard island. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) was asked to conduct damage assessments to determine if federal assistance would be needed to aid in recovery efforts.
Published : a month ago by Shahid Meighan in Weather
Gov. Mike DeWine's office announced on Wednesday that Indian Lake State Park — with the exception of Fox Island — will reopen Friday following cleanup work from the EF3 tornado on March 14 that struck Logan County and killed three people.
DeWine cited the extensive damage to Fox Island, including downed trees and a destroyed shelter house, as the reason for keeping that area of the park closed until crews can finish clearing the area of the debris.
The Indian Lake State Park campground will also reopen on that same day, and park officials will honor existing reservations — including those made for the April 8 solar eclipse.
Park officials will be modifying the "no wake zone" areas for boating on Indian Lake, citing safety reasons due to possible tornado debris that may still be in the lake, as well as placing additional buoys between Paradise Island east to Orchard Island and from Orchard Island east to Moundwood, according to the release.
“This has been an incredibly trying period for the Indian Lake community,” said Indian Lake State Park manager Hiedie Whitman. “However, we have witnessed an outpouring of support from the community, local businesses and countless volunteers."
"While we are excited about the prospect of reopening the park, our thoughts are with this community, and we ask our visitors to respect our neighbors and friends during this terribly difficult time.”
At DeWine's request, teams from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) were asked to conduct damage assessments in Lakeview and other areas around Indian Lake, Logan County and other Ohio counties determine if federal assistance would be needed to buttress state and local resources to aid in recovery efforts. The assessment is a step in the FEMA process to obtain a federal disaster declaration that would make additional assistance available to those affected.
Indian Lake State Park is a popular resort area that was originally used as a shallow feeder lake and as a means of transportation in the 1800s, according to the park's website. On April 9, 1898, the Ohio General Assembly dedicated the lake as a recreation area by the name of Indian Lake. The park offers multiple outdoor activities for visitors, such as boating, camping, fishing, and hunting.
Topics: Tornadoes