KALAMAZOO COUNTY, Mich. – Members of the National Weather Service were on the ground Wednesday morning in southwest Michigan to assess tornado damage following a night of severe weather.
At least one tornado touched down on Tuesday, May 7 in the western Michigan city of Portage, where significant damage was done to structures and homes. At least 20 people were injured amid the dangerous weather, though no injuries were serious, officials reported Wednesday morning.
City officials report that two tornadoes touched down in Portage, but the NWS -- which is responsible for officially confirming whether a tornado occurred -- has only confirmed one tornado, as of this writing.
The NWS told Local 4 on Wednesday that they received 11 reports of tornadoes in southern Michigan on Tuesday night. Those reports were preliminary, however, and the NWS said it could just be multiple reports of the same tornado.
It’s possible that one tornado caused all of the damage, rather than several. But officials won’t know for sure until they survey the area and assess the damage. That process began Wednesday, and could continue through Friday, officials said.
The NWS’ Grand Rapids office, which oversees the area, was expected to release more information after they’ve finished assessing damage.
---> Related: Update on major damage, outages, traffic issues in Michigan city hit by tornado
Many people displaced
The most significant damage caused by the at least one tornado occurred in an area bound by Centre Avenue, Oakland Drive, Schuring Road, and Westnedge Avenue, officials said.
Officials with the city of Portage also said many people in the city have been displaced due to the damage. One of the areas hardest hit was a mobile home park. You can see that footage below.
At least one shelter was open for residents who were displaced. That shelter is at First Assembly of God on Oakland Drive.
⬇️ Watch: Our damage report from the Kalamazoo County mobile home park
FedEx facility destroyed
Residential and commercial buildings were badly damaged during the storm, including a FedEx facility.
“Our thoughts are with those affected by the tornado in Portage, Michigan, and we are grateful there were no serious injuries resulting from the damage to our facility at 6701 Portage Road,” a FedEx spokesperson said in a statement. “We continue to assess the damage, and we are implementing contingency plans to lessen any potential impacts on service. Customers with questions about their shipments can check fedex.com for updates.”
Emergency declaration in Portage
Portage Mayor Patricia Randall issued an emergency declaration that will allow the city to receive resources from the state and federal governments.
Officials from Michigan State Police, the Kalamazoo County Sheriff’s Office, Kalamazoo Public Safety, the West Michigan 5th District Technical Rescue Team, LifeEMS, and others were helping in the aftermath of the storms as of Wednesday.
Residents were asked to check on their neighbors and stay off the roads to keep them clear for first responders.
---> Video: Watch as tornado touches down in small Michigan town
State of emergency also declared
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer declared a state of emergency for Kalamazoo, St. Joseph, Branch, and Cass counties following the storms.
“My heart goes out to all those impacted by tonight’s severe weather in Southwest Michigan,” Whitmer said Tuesday. “State and local emergency teams are on the ground and working together to assist Michiganders.”
