(Photo by Craig Howell)

CHESTER – Tri-State residents got a bit of a rude awakening overnight, after Mother Nature interrupted their quiet slumber by unleashing a storm tirade on the area overnight.

The National Weather Service has confirmed tornado touchdowns overnight in both Irondale, which is located near Wellsville across the Jefferson County border, and then Fairhaven, WV, which is an unincorporated area near Tomlinson Run State Park in Hancock County.

Both of which resulted in destruction or property.

Around 1 am Wednesday, thunderstorms rolled through both Jefferson and Hancock counties as a supercell, spawning a tornado.

Jeremy Ober of Hancock County Emergency Management explained the primary damage area was on Orchard and Locust Hill roads along Route 8 and in the vicinity of Veterans Drive.

(Photo by Craig Howell)

Teams will spend most of the day, assessing the damage, as officials still had no idea how widespread it may be as of 9 a.m.

Residents also reported homes damaged in the area of 157 International Drive, which falls more towards the area of Oak Glen High School in the New Manchester area.

Chester Mayor Ed Wedgewood confirmed Wednesday morning that although the property has a Chester mailing address, it doesn’t fall within the city limits. However, he and other city officials spent their day surveying damage, which ranged from downed power lines and trees to destroyed homes and barns.

After the tornado touched down in the Fairhaven area, it appears to have again lifted off and traveled less than a mile to West Virginia’s border with Pennsylvania, where the NWS had issued a tornado warning for both Allegheny and Beaver counties. Those warnings eventually were left to expire without incident.

More than 800 power customers in Columbiana County were without power for hours overnight, but power has been restored.

Anyone who was affected by the tornado is asked to come to the Saline Township Complex Thursday morning at 10 a.m. for an informational meeting with the county and state EMA.

(Photo by Craig Howell)

In Hancock County, the area struck was near Route 8, Valley View, Locust Hill Road, Shepherds Valley and Smith Road. Hancock County 911 indicated that one person was injured. (Photos by Mike Ludovici)