A fast-moving and intense thunderstorm swept across the Mid-Ohio Valley on Saturday night, leaving widespread damage, downed trees, and power outages that disrupted Easter weekend for many residents.
Gusts of wind reaching up to 72 mph caused chaos across the region. The most powerful gust was recorded in Belpre around 7:15 p.m., and meteorologists from the National Weather Service in Charleston believe much of the destruction was likely the result of straight-line winds caused by a possible microburst.
Utility poles snapped, tree limbs fell, and roads were blocked throughout the area. MonPower, which serves parts of West Virginia, reported that 48,000 customers lost electricity during the height of the storm. By Sunday afternoon, power had been restored to nearly half of them, but thousands still remained in the dark.
In Wood County alone, more than 1,200 customers were without power as of 3 p.m. Sunday. According to a spokesperson from First Energy Group, which oversees MonPower, full restoration in the area was expected by 11 p.m. Sunday. The damage to infrastructure was significant, including 40–50 broken poles, downed wires, shattered crossarms, and extensive tree damage.
Across the river in Ohio, AEP reported that nearly 2,000 customers in the Marietta area were impacted by outages. By Sunday afternoon, fewer than 330 remained without service, with almost full restoration achieved by Sunday evening.
The storm hit at a particularly sensitive time for many, disrupting Easter celebrations across the region. Trinity Episcopal Church in downtown Parkersburg lost electricity just minutes before its 7:30 p.m. Easter Vigil, a joint service with Good Shepherd Episcopal Church.
Reverend Geoff Mackey, rector at Trinity, described how the congregation adapted:
“The whole service ended up being done entirely in candlelight, because we had no other choice,” Mackey said. “We and all the readers had to project our voices without microphones. The organist even switched to playing the piano.”
The church was still without power during the early morning Easter service and into the 10:30 a.m. mass. But halfway through, the lights flickered back on. “It was a celebratory moment,” Mackey added.
In Belpre, the storm caused damage across the city. Mayor Susan Abdella reported multiple trees down, including two that blocked train tracks and interrupted operations for the Belpre Industrial Parkersburg Railroad. One tree fell into the fencing at the Civitan Park baseball field, and a shelter at the park had part of its end torn off by the wind.
In Parkersburg, the central garage on Camden Avenue suffered what Mayor Tom Joyce described as “significant” exterior damage. Despite the destruction, city services were expected to continue without interruption. Public works crews were called out to clear fallen trees from streets, while firefighters assisted with safety efforts, especially around live power lines.
Joyce also confirmed that damaged trees in city parks would begin to be removed starting Monday and continuing into Tuesday. Thankfully, no injuries had been reported as of Sunday afternoon, according to Parkersburg Fire Chief Jason Matthews.
While cleanup and repair work continues, the storm served as a powerful reminder of nature’s strength. The weekend may have been meant for Easter joy, but for thousands across the Mid-Ohio Valley, it turned into a test of patience, resilience, and community spirit.
