Governor Gretchen Whitmer has declared a state of emergency
GAYLORD, Michigan (AP) – A second man was killed in a tornado that struck northern Michigan, authorities said Saturday as crews searched a mobile home park that was virtually destroyed by a rare impact in an area without weather sirens.
The man, who was in his 70s, lived in the mobile home park at Nottingham Forest in Gaylord, which was among the first to be hit by a tornado on Friday afternoon, said State Police Lt. Derrick Carroll.
The first reported death, another man in his 70s, also lived there, Carol said.
“There were trailers that were raised and turned on top of each other. It’s just a very large field of rubble, “said Chris Martin, chief of fire in Otsego County. “The crews are there right now, conducting a secondary search with heavy equipment.”
He said there was “probably 95% destruction”.
Gaylord, a city of about 4,200 people, is about 230 miles (370 kilometers) northwest of Detroit.
More than 40 people were injured. Carol said at least one person had not been registered until Saturday morning, although that person did not live in the mobile home park.
Governor Gretchen Whitmer declared a state of emergency, providing additional state resources. Electricity was cut off for thousands of people in the area, and some roads were still clogged with collapsed poles and other debris.
“We have a lot of debris to clean up,” Carol said.
In fact, the roofs and walls of some businesses on the road to the tornado were shredded. Cars and trucks were turned sideways or completely overturned. A video posted online shows a dark cloud of funnel approaching as anxious drivers watch or slowly walk away.
The National Weather Service rated the tornado as EF3, on a scale of 0-5, with maximum winds of 140 mph.
Betty Wisniewski, 87, escaped injuries, although the tornado significantly damaged her house, said Steve Wisniewski’s son, who lives next door.
“Fortunately, she was fine with a rosary in hand,” he said from the ladder as he attached plastic to his windows. “She was praying. Admirable. “
Gaylord Police Chief Frank Kleis said the immediate aftermath of the tornado was difficult for the first responders.
“We were looking for places where we know the inhabitants. We called them by name, “Klais said. “It’s much more personal when our employees know the people who live in these homes.”
Gaylord has no tornado sirens. Carol said everyone with a cell phone received a “red code” warning from the weather service about 10 minutes before the tornado hit.
John Boris of the Gaylord Weather Service said the tornado had passed through the community in about three minutes, but had been on the ground in the region for 26 minutes – “quite a long time”.
“We don’t get a lot of tornadoes,” said Boris, a science and operations officer. “In the state of Michigan, in general, we are usually on average about 15 or so (per year) and more of them are in the lower part of the state than in the north. That’s pretty unusual. “
Boris said warm, 80-degree air earlier on Friday and strong winds blowing east across Lake Michigan were key conditions causing the tornado.
The link to climate change is probably not appropriate, he said.
“It is very difficult to attribute something very specific like this to such a large-scale signal,” Boris said. “If we had them more often, it could be a signal.”
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