NEW YORK – The full ferocity of the tornadoes that tore through southern Michigan on Friday has been captured in new video footage received by Reuters, showing the moments massive whirlwinds ripped roofs from buildings and hurled debris high into the air.
The storms killed at least four people and injured more than a dozen others, destroying multiple homes and leaving hundreds of residents without power, local authorities said.
The newly obtained videos, verified to be from the hard-hit towns of Three Rivers and Union City, provide a dramatic and terrifying visual account of the storm’s impact. The footage shows:
- A large, dark tornado tearing through a rural landscape, with debris and dust swirling violently in its path.
- Close-up shots of structures being obliterated, with roofs peeled back as if made of paper and walls collapsing under the immense pressure.
- Streets littered with uprooted trees, shattered utility poles, and the crumpled remains of cars and road signs.
“We have multiple utility poles down, transformers damaged, and long stretches of power lines on the ground,” read a statement on Union City’s official Facebook page. “The north side of Union Lake sustained some of the most severe damage, with roughly two miles of line brought down in that area alone.” Officials warned that restoring power could take several days.
The human toll is centered in two counties:
- Branch County: The sheriff’s office reported three fatalities and a dozen injuries in the county, which is home to Union City.
- Cass County: Local authorities confirmed one person was killed and several others were injured.
In a statement on its website, Cass County officials described the widespread destruction. “Multiple large structures – including homes and pole barns – sustained damage ranging from major structural impacts to complete destruction.”
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer has activated the State Emergency Operations Center to monitor the situation and coordinate a potential state response.
“The state is ready to fulfill any resource requests that may arise,” said Clayton Cummins, a spokesperson for Michigan emergency services and police. “We’ve yet to receive any just yet. It’s sounding like the local response is and has been able to address what’s been a very devastating afternoon and evening in southwest Michigan.”
(Reporting by Maria Tsvetkova; Editing by Donna Bryson and Tom Hogue)
