A storm barrels through Northeast Ohio on Wednesday, flooding streets, knocking down trees and knocking out power to thousands.
First Energy and Cleveland Public Power reported power outages of more than 6,000 customers combined.
At this hour, most of the customers’ power have been restored.
Meanwhile, a tree that narrowly missed a house in Mentor-on-the-Lake will take some time to remove.
"All of a sudden. There was a huge boom,” said Jennifer Seech, the homeowner, whose tree got struck by lightning. “Then the whole house shook"
Jennifer Seech said it felt like an earthquake.
"If it wasn't for bad luck. I don't think we will have any luck," she said.
That unlucky moment was when the tree in her front yard was struck by lightning. The powerful bolt split the tree in three. It came crashing down around 3 in the afternoon--taking a power line down with it.
Jennifer's son Colin says he saw the whole thing.
"I thought it was going to crash through the house and crush me."
He was terrified.
Jennifer says she was in disbelief.
"It was a lot of you got to be kidding me. There is a big tree everywhere,” she said. “I walked out the back. It was covering the driveway. Can't get the van out."
But, from the looks of it, the damage could have been a lot worse. It turned that unlucky moment into somewhat of a lucky one. There were no injuries. Everyone was safe.
“So as far as messes go, I'll take it."
The tree only did minor damage. It clipped the side of their house and the one next door.
Which begs the question, who's responsible if a neighbor's tree falls in your yard and damages your house?
"The homeowner would not be responsible they did not push that tree purposefully," said former Cleveland meteorologist and now insurance agent Brad Sussman.
Sussman says it's an act of god. In other words, my insurance pays for my damage. Your insurance pays for your damage.
