City, Kent State campus take tornado precautions, no damages confirmed

Students, faculty and staff at Kent State University took shelter as a tornado watch turned into a tornado warning Wednesday night.

The warning was issued at 5:33 p.m. for northern Portage and southeastern Geauga County and lifted at 6:15 p.m, according to the National Weather Service. The tornado warning for the Kent area was lifted at 6 p.m.

The tornado watch was issued at 5:02 p.m. for northern Portage and southeastern Geauga County and is set to lift at 9 p.m, according to the National Weather Service.

Lieutenant Craig Peeps at the Kent Fire Department said there haven’t been any confirmed reports of damage, but he had heard unconfirmed reports that roofs had been damaged on Newcomer Road.

The Kent Police Department has not confirmed any damages within the city, dispatcher Tiffanie Brown said.

Kent State University Police said there have been no reports of damage on campus.

The university remained open for classes and activities, said Eric Mansfield, university spokesman. Teachers had the ability to cancel their individual classes, and some of them did, he added.

The university tests the tornado sirens at 11 a.m. on the first Wednesday of every month and at 6:30 p.m. on the third Wednesday of every month.

The university website’s Tornado Safety page says students should be prepared to take shelter and keep informed on the latest storm conditions. Tornado Watch Notices are posted in conspicuous areas.

Emergency personnel are trained for a variety of emergencies, Mansfield said. Students, faculty and staff will be notified in the event of an emergency.