Tornadoes and strong storms killed at least four people and injured more than 12 others in southern Michigan on Friday, destroying several homes and leaving hundreds without power, local authorities said.
Shortly after the National Weather Service issued tornado warnings for the area for Friday, videos purporting to be from Three Rivers and Union City surfaced on social media showing huge tornadoes tearing roofs off buildings and blowing debris.
One of the more impressive tornado videos we've received in my time here. This from TJ Second in Union City. Looks like a strong, multi-vortex tornado. #MIWx @wwmtnews @NWSIWX pic.twitter.com/gYppcCXq0G
— WWMT Meteorologist Will Haenni (@WillWWMT) March 6, 2026
Images broadcast by local media showed destroyed buildings and cars, as well as overturned poles, trees and road signs.
MICHIGAN MAYHEM: Stunning video shows a tornado tearing through a parking lot and hurling debris into the air in Three Rivers, Michigan. | @foxweather pic.twitter.com/sEzHY09tWo
— Fox News (@FoxNews) March 7, 2026
Three deaths and 12 injuries were reported in Branch County, where Union City is located, the county sheriff's office said.
One person was killed and several others were injured in Cass County, according to local authorities there.
“Several large structures — including homes and barns — sustained damage ranging from major structural impacts to complete destruction,” according to a statement posted on a Cass County website.
'WE NEED TO GO': Dramatic video shows the moment a tornado rips the roof off a business in Three Rivers, Michigan. | @foxweather pic.twitter.com/khHDdolACi
— Fox News (@FoxNews) March 6, 2026
Power outages affected hundreds of people, local officials said.
“We have several downed utility poles, damaged transformers, and long stretches of downed power lines. The north side of Lake Union suffered some of the worst damage, with approximately two 3,200 km of downed power lines in that area alone,” according to a post on Union City's official Facebook page, which noted that it could take several days to fix the problems.
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer said she had activated a state Emergency Operations Center to monitor the situation.
“The state is prepared to respond to any requests for resources that may arise. We have not received any yet. It appears that local authorities have been able to deal with a devastating afternoon and evening in southwest Michigan,” Clayton Cummins, a spokesman for Michigan's emergency services and police, told Reuters.
