‘Completely devastating’: At least 4 dead as tornadoes rip through Michigan

At least four people were killed and a dozen more injured after a tornado struck southern Michigan on Friday amid a widespread severe weather outbreak that battered parts of the Midwest and Plains, officials said.

Authorities said the storms brought damaging winds, large hail, and heavy rain from Texas to the Great Lakes, leaving communities across southwestern Michigan reeling – and the threat of even more thunderstorm activity isn’t over, meteorologist John Hart told the New York Times.

Branch County Sheriff Frederick Blankenship said a tornado touched down near Union Lake in Union City, a village about 40 miles southeast of Kalamazoo. Twelve people were reported to have sustained injuries in the area, with three taken to a hospital, the Times said. Their conditions were not immediately known.

The severe weather “wreaked havoc” around Union Lake, particularly in nearby neighborhoods, according to Jennifer Nagel, the assistant village manager of Union City.

“It is completely devastating,” Nagel said in a statement.

Emergency crews continued recovery efforts late Friday as officials urged residents to avoid damaged areas. Authorities warned that power outages, closed roads, restricted neighborhoods, and disruptions to cellular and internet services were likely.

“In nearby Cass County, one person was killed and several more were injured after a reported tornado touched down near Edwardsburg, Mich., Sheriff Clint Roach said in a news release,” according to the Times report. “Multiple homes and pole barns were damaged or destroyed, said Manny DeLaRosa, the emergency manager for Cass County.”

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer also reported injuries in St. Joseph County, though the number of people hurt and the severity of those injuries were not immediately available.

The National Weather Service recorded reports of at least 13 tornadoes across Michigan and Oklahoma on Friday, while more than 50 million people faced the threat of severe weather as storms swept across the country.

“These early-season events can catch people off guard, coming off winter and more tranquil conditions,” Steve Cobb, a forecaster with the National Weather Service, told the Times.