At least four dead after tornadoes tear through southwest Michigan
Four people died and more than a dozen were injured after tornadoes and severe storms hit southwest Michigan, damaging homes, businesses and cutting power to thousands.
Three people were killed and 12 injured after an apparent tornado struck the Union Lake area near Union City, the Branch County Sheriff’s Office said, and Cass County officials reported one death and several injuries after a separate touchdown about 50 miles southwest. The storms destroyed multiple homes and pole barns, ripped roofs from commercial buildings and left thousands without power across the lower peninsula.
Videos and witness accounts showed funnels and debris fields in multiple towns. In Three Rivers, about 20 miles south of Kalamazoo, video captured a funnel cloud moving across a strip mall parking lot and lifting roof material from a Menards hardware store, while a manager said people inside scrambled for cover and he was not aware of any serious injuries. In Union City a resident, Lisa Piper, recorded the tornado on a back deck and said, "It’s lifting houses!" as the funnel dropped toward frozen Union Lake.
Cass County officials said, "Multiple large structures - including homes and pole barns - sustained damage ranging from major structural impacts to complete destruction." Local television reported a medical examiner on scene in Union City as counties began body recoveries and damage assessments overnight.
The National Weather Service confirmed at least one tornado near Union City and issued a series of tornado warnings for southwest Michigan. The outbreak was driven by a system that pulled Gulf moisture northward and pushed a warm front into much cooler Great Lakes air, David Roth, a meteorologist at the Weather Prediction Center, said, creating conditions conducive to tornado development in a state that averages about 15 tornadoes a year.
Utilities reported widespread outages as crews worked to clear roads and restore service. More than 2,200 energy customers were left without power after the Union City touchdown, and photographs showed debris tangled in power lines and traffic signals knocked down in Three Rivers. Local hospitals were treating the injured; officials have not released patient names or detailed condition updates.
State authorities moved to coordinate response and recovery. Governor Gretchen Whitmer activated the State Emergency Operations Center to support local responders and to speed resource requests for search, rescue and damage assessment. County emergency managers and law enforcement have established staging areas and are directing residents to avoid damaged neighborhoods while debris removal and safety checks proceed.
The severe weather system affected a broad swath of the central United States, with tornado watches stretching from Iowa to Oklahoma. Media and local accounts have reported additional storm-related deaths in other states, including an account from Oklahoma, but state and local authorities are still compiling and verifying a consolidated toll. National Weather Service teams will conduct on-site storm surveys to determine tornado tracks and intensity ratings and to refine damage estimates.
Officials urged residents in affected communities to follow local orders, avoid downed power lines and seek information from county emergency management offices for shelter and recovery assistance. Emergency officials said they expect damage assessments to continue into the weekend as crews restore utilities and clear roads, and as investigators map tornado paths and quantify losses for state and federal aid decisions.
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