(WXYZ) — Four people were killed, including a 12-year-old boy, and at least 12 people were injured as powerful storms ripped through southern Michigan on Friday afternoon.
Watch the latest report from Faraz Javed in the video player below:
Friday's reported tornadoes are being called among the deadliest storms to hit Michigan in recent decades. The storms struck Edwardsburg around 3 p.m., followed by Three Rivers around 3:45 p.m., before smashing through Union City nearly an hour later.
On Sunday morning, Governor Gretchen Whitmer declared a state of emergency for Branch, Cass, and St. Joseph counties to help with response and recovery efforts.
“This state of emergency declaration will ensure that every state resource is available to assist in recovery efforts from the devastating tornadoes on Friday,” Governor Whitmer said in a press release. “Our entire state is wrapping its arms around Three Rivers, Union City, Edwardsburg, and everywhere in between. Our hearts are with the families who lost loved ones and the Michiganders who were injured. I will be joining the Michigan State Police today to tour the impacted areas and assess the damage. We will get through this together.”
In the Union Lake area, three people were killed and 12 injured after a tornado hit, according to the Branch County Sheriff’s Office. About 50 miles southwest, Cass County officials reported one death and several injuries after a tornado touched down.
On Saturday, the Cass County Sheriff's Office identified one of the victims as 12-year-old Silas Anderson from the Edwardsburg area. In a statement, the sheriff said Anderson was transported to South Bend Memorial Hospital where he died from his injuries.
Watch coverage from Faraz Javed in southwest Michigan in the video players below:
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer activated the State Emergency Operations Center Friday evening due to the significant damage.
“Tonight, I am activating our State Emergency Operations Center to coordinate an all-hands-on-deck response to severe weather in southwestern Michigan,” Whitmer said in a news release. “By taking this action, we can ensure the state can monitor and respond to local requests. I want to thank all the first responders on the ground who reacted quickly to keep Michiganders safe.”
The center was activated at 6 p.m., according to the Michigan State Police Emergency Management and Homeland Security Division.
Watch video from a viewer in Three Rivers below:
At least one tornado was confirmed in southern Michigan, near Union City, on Friday, according to the National Weather Service, and there were reports of possible others.
Early damage survey results from the National Weather Service suggest an EF-3 tornado (~150 mph winds) near Union Lake and an EF-2 tornado (~130 mph winds) in Three Rivers.
These are preliminary findings — the final ratings, path lengths, and widths could still change as the survey continues.
The storms left a wake of devastation. At Union City Auto Sales, the front was completely ripped off, and cars inside were damaged.
Gannon Hadden, 24, described the scale of the damage.
"Yeah, I could agree with that. I mean, you got 70 foot or better of wall laying on the ground there. It's like they said, I've never seen anything like this in this town," Hadden said.
Hadden arrived at Union City Auto Sales to help his grandparents, Leh and Nancy Hadden, who are also the owners of the shop, as they worked to figure out how to address the building's collapsed front wall.
Leh Hadden, who has owned the business since 2011, reflected on the damage.
"Kind of disheartening. I wasn't looking for all the extra work for sure," Leh Hadden said.
Nancy Hadden, who was born in Union City and has been married for 50 years, said she had never seen anything like it.
"Oh no," Nancy Hadden said.
Homes, businesses, and infrastructure across Union City — a village of nearly 1,800 residents — bore the brunt of the storms.
David Banks, one of the trustees of the First Congregational Church, showed me the damage at his place of worship, where a section of the roof had collapsed.
"Oh no, it's definitely concerning. Scary, like I said, we've had a lot of people that was hurt in town," Banks said.
Banks described the extent of the structural damage to the church.
"Yeah, you see a section of the one part was flipped to the east side and then, or to the west side, and then this section was flipped over here to the east side. Everything in there is completely exposed. So yeah, it's definitely pretty extensive damage," Banks said.
Banks said he has been coming to the sanctuary since the 1970s.
"There is definitely a lot of sadness. We've worked hard to get the church where it's at. So this is definitely a hit to the church. But again, we'll bounce back," Banks said.
On Saturday, people were out picking up branches and clearing debris in the aftermath. We spoke to residents who described what the storms were like on Friday.
"I seen debris flying and everything, and that's when I grabbed the two dogs and we headed for the basement, and I didn't make it to the basement. I made it to the back of the house, and that's when I heard trees and all this, and you could see the tin shed, all that just blew right back," said Union City resident James Taylor. "In the backyard down here by the river, there's trees. It's a mess, man. It looks like a bomb went off."
Branch County Sheriff Frederick Blankenship addressed the public during a Saturday press conference, confirming that Tuttle Road remains an active scene with heavy damage, loss of life, and injuries.
"Send our condolences to family, friends, loved ones that have lost people here and to property owners that have lost their homes," Blankenship said.
Blankenship urged anyone with a family member in the affected tornado area to contact central dispatch by calling 911.
Union City Community Schools converted its high school into a refuge center for those impacted by the storms. Jamie Thomas, the Union City Middle School principal and a member of the village crisis team, described the challenge of coordinating the response.
"Tad overwhelming because we just don't know what to do with everything right now, other than to feed people and the people that are working and trying to dig out and see, okay, what are our next steps?" Thomas said.
Thomas said the community response from near and far has been remarkable, and that the refuge center will remain open as long as it is needed.
"Planning day by day, so it's here as long as we need it to be here," Thomas said.
The high school refuge center is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for anyone impacted by the storms. Food, clothing, and shelter assistance are available. Those who wish to make a donation are asked to contact the high school directly.
The Red Cross is also helping residents in the area impacted by the devastating storms. A shelter has been set up at Riverside Church at 207 E. Michigan Avenue in Three Rivers, where workers are giving out hot meals. The Red Cross said volunteers are also giving out cleanup kits to people in Cass County.
Anyone who needs help can call 1-800-RED-CROSS for help and information.
