Four people were killed in southern Michigan after powerful storms that produced at least one tornado swept through the region, destroying homes, damaging buildings and leaving debris scattered across roads and power lines, authorities said. Three people died and 12 others were injured in the Union Lake area near Union City after an apparent tornado struck, the Branch County Sheriff’s Office said. About 50 miles (80 kilometers) southwest, officials in Cass County reported another death and several injuries after a tornado touched down, reports AP.
Witnesses described scenes of destruction as the storm moved across the area.
Lisa Piper recorded video from her back deck as a funnel cloud formed over frozen Union Lake before dropping toward the ground. Trees were uprooted and debris was tossed into the air.
“It's lifting houses!” she said in the video. As the storm intensified, she added, “Oh, my heart is pounding. Oh, I hope they're OK.”
The National Weather Service confirmed at least one tornado near Union City on Friday and said there were reports of possible additional tornadoes in the area.
The storms caused widespread damage, including to part of the First Congregational United Church of Christ in Union City. The church said in a Facebook post that while part of the building was damaged, its nearly 150-year-old grand piano remained intact.
Meteorologists said the severe weather developed as a weather system pulled moisture from the Gulf of Mexico while a warm front moved north, creating conditions favorable for tornadoes.
David Roth, a meteorologist at the Weather Prediction Center in College Park, Maryland, said the system encountered cooler air over the Great Lakes, helping intensify the storms.
Tornadoes are relatively uncommon in Michigan, which averages about 15 each year compared with states such as Texas and Kansas that experience far more.
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said the state activated its Emergency Operations Center to coordinate response efforts.
Source: India Latest News, Breaking News Today, Top News Headlines | Times Now
