WAYNE COUNTY, Mich. – A state of emergency was declared Friday morning in Wayne County after storms ripped through Southeast Michigan, causing flooding and significant damage throughout the region.
By declaring a state of emergency, Wayne County officials are hoping to expedite help and resources from the federal government to address damages caused by two nights of severe storms. In addition to reports of several possible tornadoes, residents and businesses in the county are grappling with flooded buildings and roadways due to excessive rainfall, downed power lines and trees, power outages, and damage caused by 75 mph winds.
Recommended Videos
Canton Township, in particular, has experienced serious flooding due to drains being unable to handle the amount of rain that fell in a short period of time, officials said Friday. At one point, over 4 inches of rain were received within one hour during Thursday night’s storms.
Wayne County is one of several Michigan counties that was hammered by storms on Wednesday, Aug. 23, and Thursday, Aug. 24. In response, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Thursday activated the state’s emergency operations center in Lansing before more storms hit the region. The center will help coordinate response and recovery efforts throughout the state.
Wayne County Executive Warren Evans said Friday that the county decided to declare its own state of emergency in addition to the state’s in order to get more assistance. In the meantime, the county said it would use the resources currently at its disposal.
Officials also said members of the Federal Emergency Management Agency were on site and making themselves available and offering whatever immediate assistance they could.
Residents affected by flooding and storm damage are being asked to document the damage and report it to their local government over the phone. The reports are given to the state and to FEMA to help decide how much money the federal government should provide for assistance. Residents should share reports of any flooding or damage at or near their home, on roadways, or anywhere else in the community.
Residents and businesses experiencing flooding are asked to call their local public works department for help.
It’s currently unknown if any tornadoes touched down in Wayne County. Officials said National Weather Service crews were surveying damage in the area Friday, including in Canton Township, Gibraltar and Brownstown Township. Officials said they believe wind shears, if not tornadoes, hit Palmer and Warren roads in Canton.
Wayne County officials said updates will be made available on its website here.