Severe storms battered portions of Michigan and Ohio Thursday, leaving hundreds of thousands without power across the states.
As of 6:54 a.m. ET Friday, there were over 400,000 customers without power in Michigan and over 200,000 without power in Ohio, according to PowerOutage.US.
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer declared a state of emergency Thursday after the storm resulted in flooding across Metro Detroit.
The Associated Press reported that the storms were connected to at least four deaths, with a woman and two young children killed in a two-vehicle crash during heavy rain and at least one person killed following a report of a possible tornado in Ingham County.
According to the Detroit Free Press, flooding in Wayne County blocked access to a major airport terminal and inundated Canton businesses and homes.
Thursday had begun with flooding, widespread power outages, dozens of flight delays and cancellations, and an extreme heat alert. There was all that and the threat of even more dangerous weather throughout the day, including hail and tornadoes.
The Lansing State Journal reported that Ingham County officials said a funnel cloud touched down in the eastern portion of the county Thursday night.
“Radar indicates a tornado on the ground near I-96 south of Williamston. TAKE COVER NOW in the Williamston / Webberville areas,” Ingham County emergency officials said in an emergency alert just before 9:40 p.m. The warning expired at 10 p.m.
Heavy rain and strong winds moving in from the west pummeled the Lansing region, leaving standing water on many roads and many trees in roadways.
Source: USA Today
