Cincinnati was hit with devastating winds from Ike yesterday, which has caused the largest power outage in the history of the southwestern Ohio region (at least according to news outlets). I read that as many as 90% of Duke Energy customers are/were without power. My apartment hasn't had power since yesterday evening, and the F+W office (20 minutes away) also is without power. Apparently, it could take days (or weeks?!) to restore power to some areas.

The photo above was taken in my neighborhood of Over the Rhine, where the historic Findlay Market experienced some damage; flying debris hit transformers, causing sparks that set fire to nearby buildings.

You can watch a related Cincinnati news video here.

One of my favorite watering holes, Grammer's, also caught on fire. It's not clear yet from news reports the extent of the damage. Cincinnati reporter Joe Wessels has posted photos on Flickr.

Unwisely, I was traveling by car during the high winds yesterday, not realizing how dangerous it was, and I witnessed:

• A metal ladder in the middle of I-75
• An entire tree (probably 100 years old) completely uprooted and lying across Central Parkway
• Landscaping materials, roofing materials, and other objects caught in trees
• Trees completely broken in half, often with branches hanging precariously over busy roads
• Majority of intersections without working lights
  

I was out this morning and very little has improved; the damage and debris is far too widespread for the city's resources to handle. Will be interesting to watch progress.