At least six dead as suspected tornadoes hit Michigan, Oklahoma
Dave Collins, Steve Karnowski And Mike the Host
Hartford, Connecticut/Minneapolis: Authorities are searching through rubble and debris in Southern Michigan after suspected tornadoes ripped through the region, killing four people, including a 12-year-old boy, during powerful storms blamed for two deaths in eastern Oklahoma.
First responders from multiple agencies in the Union Lake area near Union City were searching for more possible victims and working to clear roads, authorities said. Photos and videos posted on social media showed destroyed houses and fallen trees in a lakeside neighborhood.
Severe storms that started in northern Indiana spawned multiple tornadoes in southern Michigan the day before, said Lonnie Fisher, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service (NWS), which sent crews to the area to assess damage and confirm tornadoes.
“There were likely three separate tornadoes, but we won’t know 100 percent for sure until the investigation is done,” Fisher said, adding that the storms quickly intensified in southern Michigan after hitting northern Indiana.
The threat of severe weather continued across the central part of the country; Strong storms were possible from northeastern Texas to Ohio, western Pennsylvania and New York.
Later Saturday (US time), the NWS said initial assessment confirmed that an EF3 tornado with winds of at least 141 mph had struck the Union Lake area. Investigations in other damaged areas were continuing. Tornado watches were issued in the afternoon for eastern Ohio, northern West Virginia, and western Pennsylvania and New York.
Three people were killed and 12 were injured in the Union Lake area, according to the Branch County Sheriff’s Office. This was the second tornado to hit Union City in two years. In May 2024, an EF1 tornado with winds of 153 km/h briefly touched down and destroyed a machinery shed.
Lisa Piper stood on her back deck and captured video of the terrifying scene Friday as a funnel cloud formed and plummeted toward the ground on the other side of frozen Union Lake. Trees were uprooted and debris flew into the air.
“He lifts houses!” he said. As the destruction continued, she cried out: “Oh, my heart is pounding. Oh, I hope they’re okay.”
After a cleaning job at a nearby hospital that day, Dan Taylor ran toward Union City to find his brother and two dogs safe. However, a tree fell on his 20-year-old home and part of the roof of the house across the street flew into his garden.
“I didn’t know what to say. I was lost for words,” he said Saturday. “I’m grateful my brother is okay, my dogs, because the situation could have gotten worse. Nothing is guaranteed.”
A 12-year-old boy was killed and several others were injured during a possible tornado about 51 miles southwest of Union Lake, the Cass County Sheriff’s Office said. Sheriff Clint Roach said in a Facebook post that Silas Anderson’s parents found him injured and administered first aid, but he later died at the hospital.
Disaster relief workers went door to door in the Union City and Three Rivers areas to offer meals and cleaning supplies. Governor Gretchen Whitmer, Branch, Cass and St. He said he would declare a state of emergency in St. Joseph counties.
The Okmulgee County Sheriff’s Office said the tornado was blamed for the deaths of two people at a home Friday in Beggs, about 30 miles south of Tulsa, Oklahoma. The other two people were taken to hospital.
The tornado cut a damage path of about 4 miles in Okmulgee County, including Beggs, said Jeff Moore, the county’s emergency manager. Large trees downed and power outages were reported.
Suspected tornadoes were also reported in northern Tulsa, where a building on the Tulsa Tech Peoria campus was damaged.
Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt declared a state of emergency in several counties to free up support and resources.
The deaths in Oklahoma came a day after the storm killed a 47-year-old woman and her 13-year-old daughter in their vehicle in Fairview in the western part of the state.
Spring storms approach the beginning of what many refer to as hurricane season, which usually begins at various times in different parts of the United States. Experts recommend a few simple safety steps to take before hurricanes hit, including a weather radio and a plan for where to shelter.
In parts of the South, the weather was expected to bring extremely warm temperatures for this time of year into the weekend.
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