Tornadoes and strong storms killed at least four people and injured more than a dozen in southern Michigan on Friday, destroying multiple homes and leaving hundreds of residents without power, local authorities said.<\/p>\n
Soon after the National Weather Service issued tornado warnings for the area on Friday, videos on social media claiming to be from the towns of Three Rivers and Union City showed massive whirlwinds tearing roofs off buildings and lifting debris into the air.<\/p>\n
Local media footage showed smashed buildings and cars, and poles, trees and road signs that had been blown over.<\/p>\n
Three fatalities and a dozen injuries were reported in Branch County, where Union City is located, the county\u2019s sheriff\u2019s office said.<\/p>\n
One person was killed and several injured in Cass County, according to local authorities there.<\/p>\n
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<\/p>\nBill Pugliano\/Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\u201cMultiple large structures \u2013 including homes and pole barns \u2013 sustained damage ranging from major structural impacts to complete destruction,\u201d according to a statement on a website for Cass County.<\/p>\n
Power outages had affected hundreds of people, local officials said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have multiple utility poles down, transformers damaged, and long stretches of power lines on the ground. The north side of Union Lake sustained some of the most severe damage, with roughly two miles of line brought down in that area alone,\u201d according to a posting on Union City\u2019s official Facebook page that said restoration may take several days.<\/p>\n
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<\/p>\nBill Pugliano\/Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer said she activated a State Emergency Operations Center for monitoring the situation.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe state is ready to fulfill any resource requests that may arise. We\u2019ve yet to receive any just yet. It\u2019s sounding like the local response is and has been able to address what\u2019s been a very devastating afternoon and evening in southwest Michigan,\u201d Clayton Cummins, a spokesperson for Michigan emergency services and police, told Reuters.<\/p>\n
(Reporting by Maria Tsvetkova; Editing by Donna Bryson and Tom Hogue)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n