Five people are dead and about 700,000 are without power after storms swept north across Michigan and Ohio overnight, trailing at least one confirmed tornado.
A mother in her 30s died with her children, one and three, when her car went off the road and crashed into another in the pouring rain near Cedar Springs.
“Two vehicles drove into each other. “One landed on the water and was manned by four people,” Sergeant Eric Brunner told WZZM-TV.
One person died in Lansing when a tree fell on their home, according to WILX, and one person died on I-96 near Williamston Road in Ingham County in a 25-car pile-up in winds of up to 85 miles per hour.
Michigan has declared a state of emergency and portions of I-96 remain closed as state officials launch drones to survey the damage this morning.
And the National Weather Service has confirmed that a large and “extremely hazardous” tornado was recorded near Williamston, Ingham County, around 9:30 p.m. Thursday.
Images posted on social media show the damage after tornadoes swept through Michigan
A building in Kent County, Michigan was also destroyed as the wind blew overhead
Dawn broke at a site of devastation in parts of Michigan as state agencies launched drones to survey the damage
The storms had left 400,000 people in southern Michigan and nearly 300,000 in northern Ohio without power overnight, according to tracker PowerOutage.us.
Some drivers were trapped in their vehicles after overturning on I-96. Lt. Rene Gonzalez of the Michigan State Police told CNN.
And according to WXYZ, at least one mobile home has been flipped at the Frenchtown Villa mobile home park in Monroe County.
The storms then moved east and struck the Detroit area, leaving some streets submerged.
The storm, with wind gusts in excess of 85 miles per hour, overturned cars, downed trees, flooded towns and destroyed buildings and homes.
State Police issued a warning on Twitter: “Severe Weather Alert: A debris-ball tornado has been reported heading east toward Webberville. ‘Shelter.’
The National Weather Service issued multiple tornado warnings, including those in northwest Wayne and northeast Washtenaw, that were in effect through 11 p.m., according to the National Weather Service.
“At 10:15 p.m., a severe thunderstorm that could trigger a tornado occurred over Salem or near Novi, moving east at a speed of 80 km/h,” the weather service reported.
Police urged people to take shelter as the deadly storm grew in strength
Some caught the tornado on camera as it passed over Williamston, Ingham County, around 9:30 p.m. Thursday
Fox 17 reporter Elliot Grandia investigates the aftermath of the damage to a home in Comstock Park
Some drivers were parked in front of a river on the road in Royal Oak, Michigan
A mature tree was knocked down by the force of the storm in the yard of a gas station
A semi-truck was among dozens of overturned vehicles outside of Williamston, Michigan
A tornado swept across western Michigan Thursday night, along with a series of thunderstorms that caused severe damage and left over 240,000 residents without power
Injuries were reported in Kent County. According to Fox17, a woman and two children were killed in an aquaplaning accident
“Flying debris will be dangerous for those caught without shelter.” Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. There is damage to roofs, windows and vehicles. “Tree damage is likely,” it said.
Fifteen residents of the Haven of Rest Senior Care Living in Williamston, east of Lansing, had to be evacuated after the storm destroyed the building.
“It appears something may have come through here, either a straight line wind or a tornado, we cannot confirm at this time,” Lt. Michael Randall of the Northeast Ingham Emergency Services Authority told the Lansing State Journal.
Tree branches six inches wide have fallen in Genesee County, Detroit News says.
Search and rescue operations are reportedly underway after damage to buildings occurred in Webberville.
The Kent County Sheriff’s Office set up an Emergency Operations Center Thursday night to coordinate rescue and recovery efforts across the community.
Sergeant Eric Brunner told Fox 17 that the team was “en route at full strength” and was requesting additional assistance.
“What we’re seeing so far — Alpine Township, Plainfield Township and Grand Rapids Township are the hardest-hit communities in our area.” “Alpine Avenue is impassable,” Brunner told Fox 17 Thursday night.
He also said he saw a building being destroyed and landed in the middle of the street, as well as a gas leak in the area.
This Canton, Michigan home narrowly escaped when the wind downed a tree just feet from the home
Some cars were practically submerged as the flooding turned roads into rivers
Terrified motorists watched as trees were limbed on Interstate 96
Emergency crews worked through the night to keep roads open as Michigan declared a state of emergency
The storms left around 700,000 homes and businesses in both states without power
The storm, with wind gusts in excess of 85 miles per hour, overturned cars, downed trees, flooded towns and destroyed buildings and homes
High winds east of Williamston scattered debris over homes and fields
“In a storm this violent, branches, limbs and entire trees — in some cases — are blown across the street, across the neighborhood, etc.” [it’s] “This kind of damage that we’re seeing,” Consumers Energy’s Brian Wheeler told FOX 17.
“In terms of the cleanup process, there could be serious consequences that could slow things down or affect things, so we’ll be aware of that,” he added.
As the devastation began, the Michigan State Police said they were working to make the streets safer.
“I-96, both eastbound and westbound between Williamston Rd and M-52, is closed due to overturned vehicles,” the agency tweeted.