At 12:02 a.m., the National Weather Service issued a Tornado Warning for portions of Calhoun County. At approximately 12:35 a.m., visual reports of a tornado were received from a spotter and a law enforcement officer. Calhoun County Sheriff's Office (CCSO) Deputies, Michigan State Police Troopers and Marengo Township Firefighters arrived in the area of L Drive North and 19 Mile Rd in Lee Township and found significant damage that included trees, powerlines, homes, and barns. The Calhoun County Road Department arrived and cleared roads to allow rescue personnel access to the area and search for injured residents. No injuries have been reported at this time.
It appears the tornado moved northeast from 17 1/2 Mile Rd toward 24 Mile Rd in Marengo Township. This is a preliminary understanding of the tornado, and it might increase as investigation continues.
Although roads are starting to open, there continues to be powerlines down along the road or on private yards. Calhoun County Sheriff Steve Hinkley urges individuals to avoid the area to give Consumers Energy time to repair the damage. CCSO is unable to deploy drones at this time due to upper windspeed to assist with the assessment process. Assessment is ongoing with multiple local agencies.
The Sheriff's Office Emergency Management Division shares this link for self-reporting property damage. This assessment tool will help determine the overall impact the storm had on our community. The link is, https://arcg.is/10ab1j.
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