PORTAGE, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – Thousands lost power and there was significant damage in the Portage and Centreville areas as several tornadoes struck southwest Michigan late Tuesday afternoon.
At 7:15 p.m., over 20,000 Consumers Energy customers in Kalamazoo County were without power, with over 4,300 out in St. Joseph County.
The Tornado Warning for Kalamazoo County expired at 6:45 p.m.
Some of the most severe damage was in the City of Portage, with portions of buildings collapsed, power poles snapped off, and trees uprooted. The 321,000 square foot Fed Ex distribution center on Portage Road between Milham Avenue and Romence Road suffered damage to both the building and vehicles.
(viewer submitted photo to WOOD-TV 8)
The steeple of a church was torn off in Centerville, and almost all the village of Colon lost power.
Calhoun County and the city of Battle Creek were also placed under a Tornado Warning, which caused the Battle Creek City Commission to cancel their meeting.
Numerous tornadoes were reported on the ground near Decatur in Van Buren County, Sherwood in Branch County, and Tekonsha and Athens in Calhoun County.
Once all the Tornado Warnings expired, several Severe Thunderstorm Warnings were also issued until 9:00 p.m. for another line of storms.
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