Six people were killed when tornadoes struck Oklahoma and Michigan, including a 12-year-old boy.

A downed tree crushes a car in Union City, Michigan (Image: Getty Images)

 

As severe storms swept across portions of the United States, tornadoes in Michigan and Oklahoma left at least six people dead and more than a dozen injured. Officials said that four people were killed in southern Michigan, one of whom was a 12-year-old boy. On Friday, two people died in Oklahoma, and rescue workers were still evaluating the damage. On Friday, the storms ripped the roofs off some homes, damaged buildings, knocked down power lines, and uprooted trees. The severe weather, according to the National Weather Service (NWS), could last into the weekend, with thunderstorms and flash flooding expected from the Great Plains to Texas.

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The Branch County sheriff's office in Michigan reported that a tornado on Friday killed three people and injured 12 others near Union City. They added that road closures and power outages are anticipated this weekend. Authorities in Cass County, Michigan, reported one fatality and several injuries about 50 miles (80 kilometers) away. "Multiple large structures - including homes and pole barns - sustained damage ranging from major structural impacts to complete destruction," they said in a statement.

 Hundreds of people were reported to be without power, they added.

 Silas Anderson, 12, died in Edwardsburg, Michigan, on Saturday from unidentified weather-related injuries, according to Clint Roach, sheriff of Cass County. In a social media post, the sheriff's office stated, "Silas was surrounded by family at the time of his passing."

Buildings were severely damaged in Three Rivers, Michigan (Image: Getty Images)

Social media videos showed huge whirlwinds blowing through Union City and large pieces of dust and debris flying across a Three Rivers parking lot. One local resident said they could see the storm coming. A resident of Three Rivers, Michigan, stated to CBS News, the BBC's US partner, "We look out the window and saw the tornado go right down the strip and that's where my daughter is, where my parents, and where I live down the road." "God protected my daughter, mom, sister, and my family," I simply expressed gratitude. Gretchen Whitmer, the governor of Michigan, claimed that she declared a state of emergency for the counties of Branch, Cass, and St. Joseph. She stated, "We are collaborating with emergency teams to monitor the situation and coordinate resources for those impacted." "My heart is with the Michiganders who were injured yesterday and the families of those who lost loved ones." Local responders are continuing to search damaged areas and begin recovery efforts, according to officials in charge of emergency management. According to Jeff Moore, the emergency manager for Okmulgee County in Oklahoma, a tornado caused approximately 4 miles (6.4 kilometers) of damage, 30 miles (48 kilometers) south of Tulsa. "We're just getting everywhere as fast as we can, clearing roads as fast we can," Moore said.

 The Okmulgee County Sheriff's Office reported two deaths in Beggs, Oklahoma. "To ensure Oklahomans have the support and resources they need after last night's storms," Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt stated, declaring a state of emergency for the counties of Alfalfa, Creek, Grant, Major, Okmulgee, Rogers, Tulsa, and Wagoner.

Source: BBC