Multiple Tornadoes Touch Down In Dayton, Ohio, Catastrophic Damage Reported

Updated at 3:50 a.m. ET

Multiple destructive tornadoes touched down in a highly populated area near Dayton, Ohio, and surrounding communities, causing catastrophic damage and leaving many trapped by debris.

The National Weather Service reports the dangerous twisters, which began late Monday night, are causing considerable damage and are urging people to take cover immediately.

Tornadoes have been reported in Mercer, Darke, Miami and Montgomery counties. Injuries have been reported.

"Debris being lofted into the air by a tornado south of Circlevile, Ohio," the NWS tweetedjust after 1 a.m. ET.

Multiple buildings have collapsed and at least one house has been cut in half, KOCO Meteorologist Michael Armstrong relayed on Twitter. He added that a "¼ mile stretch of power poles broken ... Medics having difficulty accessing areas."

Due to widespread power outages, the City of Dayton is asking residents throughout Montgomery County to conserve water. "We have lost power to both water plants and pump stations," officials said on Twitter.

Photostaken by the Dayton Daily News show cars with the roof caved in by fallen trees or under piles of wood from a destroyed house nearby. Another shows a two story house with one of its walls ripped out. Remnants of commercial buildings, whose brick or cinder block walls have collapsed are also depicted.

The NWS is reporting that some people remain trapped in collapsed buildings in several locations in areas where tornadoes have passed. Firefighters and EMTs are having a difficult time reaching emergency locations due to debris in the streets and wires down. And, some emergency calls are going unanswered because crews have not been able to get to them.

The city of Celina, northwest of Dayton, was particularly hard hit. Police are asking people to avoid driving into the city due to live wires and severe damage.

Local school districts have canceled classes after sustaining damage to school buildings.

Montgomery County Sheriff Rob Streck said "that due to an overwhelming number of calls, the public should not call 911 unless something is sparking or someone is injured or in immediate danger," WDTN 2 News reported.

The Ohio Department of transportation is asking locals to avoid I-75 which is blocked by debris. Photos postedto Twitter by ODOT show snow plows trying to clear fallen trees from Interstate 75 north of Dayton. "Please avoid this area while we work to clear the interstate following the storm," the department wrote.

An earlier storm that moved through the Miami Valley knocked out power to tens of thousands of residents. Dayton Power and Light reportedmore than 64,000 customers were without power as of 2:00 a.m.

Suspected tornadoes also left behind destruction in the Indiana town of Pendleton, about 100 miles west of Dayton.

NWS forecaster David Roth told NPR the violent weather is part of an unusual pattern that has also brought flood worries to Arkansas and Oklahoma where a tornado in El Reno left two people dead on Saturday. Roth said it may take up to a week for the weather pattern to change and return to calmer conditions.

Tornado and severe thunderstorm warnings remain in effect.

WYSO reporter April Laissle contributed to this report.

This is a developing story. Some facts reported by the media may later turn out to be wrong. We will focus on reports from police officials and other authorities, credible news outlets and reporters who are at the scene. We will update as the situation develops.

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