Lansing, Michigan – A second day of powerful storms brought chaos and destruction to lower Michigan on Thursday night, leaving residents to pick up the pieces and assess the damage. The storms, which included confirmed tornadoes, resulted in at least five deaths statewide and left hundreds of thousands without power.
The aftermath of the storms saw twisted metal, debris, and flooding from Kent County on the state’s west side to Monroe County on the east. The impact of the severe weather was particularly devastating in areas such as Flat Rock, Gibraltar, and Canton, where flooding caused extensive damage to homes and businesses.
The weather event prompted Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to declare a state of emergency for Wayne and Monroe counties, citing road and bridge closures, downed power lines, damaged buildings, overwhelmed stormwater and sewer systems, and numerous homes with flooding damage.
In addition to the significant damage caused by the storms, approximately 400,000 utility customers were still without power late Friday afternoon. Utility companies anticipated restoring power to 80% of impacted customers by the end of the day Saturday, and to 95% by the end of the day Sunday.
Numerous confirmed tornadoes, including an EF-1 tornado north of Grand Rapids and a stronger one east of Lansing, resulted in further destruction and extensive cleanup efforts. The National Weather Service continued to assess other possible tornado touchdowns in different areas, with the impact of the severe weather being felt across several counties in Michigan.
In addition to widespread power outages and property damage, the storms also caused significant flooding in various parts of the region, leading to road closures, stranded passengers, and the need for disaster relief from local, state, and federal government agencies.
Throughout the affected areas, residents and local officials were left to cope with the aftermath of the storms, assessing the damage, and working to restore their communities in the wake of the destructive weather event.