DOZENS OF COMMUNITIES ARE NOW RESIDENTS RALLYING TOGETHER. THEY’RE ALREADY TRYING TO SET
UP AND REBUILD. TONIGHT THE
THREAT MAY BE BEHIND US, BUT
WEEKS OF CLEANUP AND RECOVERY
EFFORTS CERTAINLY LIE AHEAD.
>> HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS ARE
STILL BEING IMPACTED BY THE
WRECKAGE. THESE DEADLY STORMS
CREATED SOME FAMILIES CHANGED
FOREVER.
>> WE’VE GOT THREE LIVE TEAMS
OUT COVERING THE AFTERMATH,
INCLUDING METEOROLOGIST KIM
ADAMS, WHO’S BEEN FOLLOWING
THESE STORMS SINCE THEY FIRST
POPPED ONTO EXACT TRACK 40
RADAR, OF COURSE, LAST NIGHT.
>> YEAH, THESE TORNADOES
PUSHING INTO THE OUTSKIRTS OF
METRO DETROIT ABOUT 926 LAST
NIGHT. THE ALERTS FROM
CLICKONDETROIT.COM SENT
DIRECTLY TO YOUR PHONES,
LETTING YOU KNOW WHEN LIFE
THREATENING WEATHER WAS IN YOUR
NEIGHBORHOOD AND WHEN IT WAS
ALL SAID AND DONE.
>> AT LEAST FIVE TORNADOES
TOUCHED DOWN IN MICHIGAN. THOSE
CONFIRMED TORNADOES HIT NEAR
BELLEVILLE, CANTON,
FOWLERVILLE, GRAND RAPIDS AND
BETWEEN WILLIAMSTON AND
WEBBERVILLE. AND EVEN NOW, AT
THIS HOUR IN FACT, THE NATIONAL
WEATHER SERVICE STILL HAS TEAMS
IN METRO DETROIT IN
INVESTIGATING THE DEBRIS. THE
DATA, THE EVIDENCE THAT MIGHT
BE THERE FOR TORNADOES. OUR
TEAM COVERAGE BEGINS IN
WEBBERVILLE, ONE OF THE HARDEST
HIT AREAS NEAR 96, WHERE ONE
PERSON DIED.
>> DAMON FERNANDEZ IS LIVE WITH
AN UP CLOSE LOOK AT THE DAMAGE
THERE. DESMOND YOU KNOW,
KIMBERLY, NEIGHBORS WE’RE
TALKING TO IN THIS AREA ARE
TELLING ME YOU CAN’T EVEN BEGIN
TO IMAGINE THE MAGNITUDE OF
FRUSTRATION THEY’RE DEALING
WITH RIGHT NOW, ALL BECAUSE OF
THAT TORNADO THAT RIPPED
THROUGH THIS AREA.
>> JUST TAKE A LOOK AROUND
HERE. THIS IS DEBRIS THAT
RIPPED OFF FROM A BARN RIGHT
HERE. THIS IS TYPICAL OF THE
DAMAGE WE’RE SEEING ALL AROUND
INGHAM COUNTY RIGHT NOW. IT’S
ALL HANDS ON DECK AROUND
PROPERTIES ACROSS INGHAM
COUNTY.
>> I’VE BEEN HERE SINCE 1944.
NEVER HAD A TORNADO BEFORE AS
NEIGHBORS CLEAN UP THE HUGE
MESS THAT WAS CAUSED BY A
TORNADO THAT HIT THIS AREA
OVERNIGHT HERE IN WEBBERVILLE,
SIDING FROM ROOFTOPS WRAPPED
AROUND TREES, STRONG WINDS
FLATTENED A CORNFIELD AND IT
SENT THIS TRAILER TUMBLING AND
TOSSING ACROSS THE ROAD LIKE A
TOY OVER IN WILLIAMSTON.
>> WOW.
>> IT’S DEVASTATING.
>> CREWS WERE BUSY FRIDAY
MORNING DOING ROOF REPAIRS
AFTER A TREE DAMAGED A SENIOR
LIVING CENTER NEARBY IN LEROY
TOWNSHIP. PAUL STANTON RUSHED
TO HELP CLEAR DEBRIS AROUND HIS
MOTHER’S HOME. THERE’S A LOT OF
TREES DOWN THAT WE’RE TRYING TO
GET CLEANED UP SO SHE CAN KIND
OF GET BACK TO NORMAL LIFE. THE
SEVERE STORM CAUSED WIDESPREAD
POWER OUTAGES, FORCING SEVERAL
BUSINESSES, INCLUDING GAS
STATIONS, TO CLOSE A STRETCH OF
I 96 WAS SHUT DOWN DUE TO
DOWNED TREES AND SEVERAL
OVERTURNED VEHICLES. INGHAM
COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
SAID ONE PERSON WAS KILLED HERE
DOWN THE ROAD IN FOWLERVILLE
MUNSON FARMS IS AMONG NEIGHBORS
DEALING WITH DAMAGE TO. WELL,
WE LOST PART OF THAT ROOF ON
THE OLD COW BARN AND THE HAY
BARN.
>> WE LOST TWO THIRDS OF THAT,
WENT THROUGH PART OF THE
GREENHOUSE.
>> FRANK MUNSELL ALMOST CHOKED
UP IN TEARS WHILE DISCUSSING
HOW HARD HIS PROPERTY WAS HIT.
HOW ARE YOU GUYS GOING TO DEAL
WITH THIS?
>> GET UP EVERY MORNING.
>> THIS IS TOUGH. YEAH. YEAH
IT’S NOT A GOOD THING, BUT
WE’LL MAKE HER. AND WE’LL MAKE
IT. THAT’S A SENTIMENT WE’RE
HEARING ALL ACROSS THIS AREA
RIGHT NOW. HERE’S ANOTHER LOOK
AT SOME OF THAT DEBRIS FROM THE
BARN. I’LL TELL YOU, THOSE
STRONG WINDS BLEW SOME OF THAT
DEBRIS RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET
INTO A CORNFIELD, NEARLY
FLATTENED THAT CORNFIELD.
NEIGHBORS ARE TELLING ME IT’S
GOING TO TAKE DAYS TO CLEAN
THIS UP. BUT AGAIN, WE’LL MAKE
IT IN WEBBERVILLE. I’M DAMON
FERNANDEZ, LOCAL 4.
>> OKAY, DAMON, WE APPRECIATE
YOUR REPORT.
>> DEVIN THIS AFTERNOON,
GOVERNOR WHITMER DECLARED A
STATE OF EMERGENCY FOR WAYNE
AND MONROE COUNTIES. FRENCHTOWN
TOWNSHIP, ONE OF THE PLACES
THAT’S GOING TO NEED HELP
BOUNCING BACK FROM NOT ONLY
FLOODING, BUT HEAVY RAIN. ALL
THE WHAT THE STORMS THAT THE
STORMS BROUGHT IN. LET’S GET TO
PRIYA MANN, WHO IS LIVE TONIGHT
IN GIBRALTAR WITH THE STORY
THERE. PRIYA AND DEVIN KIM, THE
SOUND OF GENERATORS AND
CHAINSAWS HAS BEEN CONSTANT
THROUGHOUT THE DAY.
>> AND HERE’S WHY. HOMEOWNERS
ARE DEALING WITH DOWNED TREES
IN THEIR FRONT YARDS IN THEIR
BACKYARDS. LET ME SHOW YOU THIS
NEIGHBORHOOD HERE IN GIBRALTAR
, PILES OF BRANCHES IN FRONT OF
EVERY HOME ABOUT 12 MILES FROM
WHERE WE ARE HERE IN GIBRALTAR
IS FRENCHTOWN TOWNSHIP. AND
YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT A WHOLE
DIFFERENT LEVEL OF DAMAGE WHEN
IT’S A MOBILE HOME COMMUNITY
AND NEIGHBORS THERE WERE
STUNNED BY WHAT THEY SAW.
>> I MEAN, WHOLE ROOFS ARE
MISSING OFF OF TRAILERS. ALL
THE SKIRTING IS MISSING. THE
SHEDS ARE BLOWN DOWN, STUFF ALL
OVER EVERYWHERE. STEVE DOCTOR
HAS LIVED IN FRENCHTOWN
TOWNSHIP FOR YEARS AND SAYS
HE’S NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE
THIS. THE POLICE ARE BLOCKING
OFF THE ENTRANCES. NOBODY CAN
GET IN AND OUT UNLESS YOU LIVE
HERE. EVERYBODY’S RUNNING
CHAINSAWS ALL OVER THE PLACE
AND IT’S CRAZY. I’VE NEVER SEEN
ALUMINUM FLAGPOLE SNAP DRONE
FOUR SHOWS.
>> THE DAMAGE IN THE FRENCHTOWN
VILLA MOBILE HOME COMMUNITY.
ONE HOME WAS FLIPPED OVER WITH
THE ROOF RIPPED TO SHREDS.
GIANT TREES BROUGHT DOWN BY
GUSTING WINDS AND TORRENTIAL
RAIN.
>> KIND OF FELT LIKE MY HOME
WAS GOING TO SHIFT OFF THE
BLOCKS. WHAT’S GOING THROUGH
YOUR MIND? OH, I WAS JUST
TRYING TO HOPEFULLY IT PASSES
THROUGH, KEEP THEM SAFE. THEY
STAYED SLEEPING, HUH?
>> OVER IN GIBRALTAR, THIS
CEMETERY HAS SUSTAINED
SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE AS FAMILY
MEMBERS CHECKED ON THEIR LOVED
ONES. FINAL RESTING PLACE.
HOMEOWNERS IN A NEARBY
COMMUNITY HAVE A LONG CLEAN UP
AHEAD. THIS FAMILY HID IN A
PANTRY THURSDAY NIGHT UNTIL IT
WAS SAFE TO COME OUT AND ASSESS
THE DAMAGE.
>> JUST WAITING TO SEE FOR IT
TO PASS. GIVE IT A FEW MINUTES.
NO NOISE. ALL RIGHT. LET’S GO
SEE WHAT’S GOING ON. I HAD TO
GO BUY A NEW CHAINSAW MINES UP
NORTH OF THE CABIN AND CUT ALL
THIS UP AND GET IT READY AND
THEN DEAL WITH INSURANCE.
>> AND THE CLEANUP BEGINS
TODAY. DEALING WITH INSURANCE
COULD TAKE EVEN LONGER. A LOT
OF HOMEOWNERS STILL ASSESSING
THE DAMAGE THAT MAN HAD TO BUY
A CHAINSAW. FOLKS ARE OUT THERE
BUYING GENERATORS. YOU CAN HEAR
GENERATORS RUNNING RIGHT NOW. A
MASSIVE CLEANUP HERE IN
GIBRALTAR AND FRENCHTOWN
TOWNSHIP AS FOLKS CLEAN UP
AFTER LAST NIGHT’S STORM.
REPORTING LIVE IN GIBRALTAR,
I’M PRIYA MANN, LOCAL 4.
>> ALL RIGHT, PRIYA.
>> WELL, TAKE A LOOK AT THIS
VIDEO. WE JUST GOT IN FROM
FERNDALE. AN UPROOTED TREE FELL
ACROSS SARATOGA STREET. THAT’S
JUST EAST OF WOODWARD CRUSHING
A CAR AND BADLY DAMAGING THE
HOUSE ACROSS THE STREET,
THANKFULLY, DOESN’T SOUND LIKE
ANYBODY WAS INJURED IN ALL OF
THAT. BUT SOME SEVERE REPAIR
WORK WILL BE NEEDED. YES, ON
THAT HOUSE. INDEED
>> GOODNESS. LET’S MOVE TO THIS
. TAKE A CLOSE LOOK AT THIS IS
FROM MY PICKS. THIS IS WALLED
LAKE. YOU’LL NOTICE A BOAT
PROPELLER STICKING UP OUT OF
THE WATER. THAT’S BECAUSE LAST
NIGHT’S STORMS FLIPPED A
PONTOON BOAT AND IT’S HOIST
UPSIDE DOWN AND WE ARE GETTING
HUNDREDS OF MY PICKS LIKE THIS.
AND TO SEND US YOURS AND TO SEE
WHAT OTHER PEOPLE ARE POSTING
HAD TO CLICK ON DETROIT.COM/MY
PICKS MY PICKS AND SELECT
WEATHER FROM THE DROPDOWN MENU.
ALL RIGHT LET’S GET SPEAKING OF
WEATHER LET’S GET BACK TO KIM
ADAMS LIVE IN SOUTH ROCKWOOD
ANOTHER LOCATION HIT REALLY
HARD.
>> YEAH THIS STORM MOVES
THROUGH QUICKLY REALLY PACKED A
PUNCH, THOUGH KIM IT DID.
>> AND JUST A FEW MINUTES AGO,
I GOT WORD FROM THE NATIONAL
WEATHER SERVICE, THEY’VE NOW
CONFIRMED ANOTHER TORNADO, THIS
ONE RIGHT HERE IN SOUTH
ROCKWOOD. IT FORMED VERY CLOSE
TO THE OTHER TORNADO, WHICH WAS
ABOUT TWO MILES FROM HERE. ALL
AT THE SAME TIME. WITHIN
MINUTES OF EACH OTHER. LAST
NIGHT, IF YOU WERE WATCHING,
YOU HEARD ME SAY PROBABLY OVER
AND OVER AGAIN, IF YOU’RE ON
THE SECOND FLOOR, IF YOUR
BEDROOMS ARE ON THE SECOND
FLOOR, GET TO THE LOWEST LEVEL
OF YOUR HOUSE. EVEN IF THE KIDS
ARE SLEEPING, WAKE THE KIDS UP
. THIS IS THE REASON WHY THIS
HOME IN SOUTH ROCKWOOD AT 1038
HAD A TORNADO FORM RIGHT
OUTSIDE THE HOUSE. THE
HOMEOWNER STARTED HEARING
WALNUTS FROM THEIR GIANT WALNUT
TREE, HITTING THE WINDOWS.
FORTUNATELY, HE WAS ON THE
FIRST FLOOR. HAD HE BEEN HERE
ON THE SECOND FLOOR? I MEAN,
JUST PICKING UP SOME OF THE
DRYWALL, SOME OF THE INSULATION
ON IT COULD HAVE BEEN A LOT
WORSE. SO WHEN WE SAY GET TO
THE LOWEST LEVEL OF YOUR HOUSE,
THIS HOME IS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF
WHY WE SAY THAT OVER AND OVER
AGAIN. THE SAFEST PLACE TO BE
IN A TORNADO IS ON THE LOWEST
FLOOR OF YOUR HOUSE. AND
CERTAINLY ONE OF THE MOST
DANGEROUS PLACES ON THE SECOND
FLOOR AS IT WAS IN THIS HOUSE.
BUT AS I SAID, THE HOMEOWNERS,
OKAY, HE WAS NOT ON THE SECOND
FLOOR. HE HEEDED THE WARNINGS
AND WENT DOWN ON THE FIRST
FLOOR. SO HE IS SAFE. HIS HOME,
HOWEVER, NOT IN SUCH GREAT
SHAPE. SO I WANT TO RECAP. THE
FIFTH TORNADO SO THAT HIT METRO
DETROIT. AND THEN THE OTHER
TORNADO IN GRAND RAPIDS. SO WE
HAD A VERY BUSY TIME LAST
NIGHT. LET’S GO AHEAD AND TAKE
A LOOK AT THE ONE THAT HIT NEW
PORT THIS ONE FORMED IN ASH
TOWNSHIP ON A FARM AND IT MOVED
QUICKLY TO THE SOUTHEAST OVER A
MOBILE HOME PARK. SO AS WE LOOK
AT THE VELOCITY V, YOU CAN SEE
THAT IT THE RED BUTTED AGAINST
THE GREEN, AGAIN INDICATING
THERE WAS ROTATION. THIS WAS AT
1038. AND OFTENTIMES WHAT
HAPPENS AND WHAT CAN HAPPEN IS
THAT A SECONDARY TORNADO WILL
FORM. AND IT APPEARS AS THOUGH
THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED
BECAUSE THAT NEWPORT TORNADO
HIT RIGHT AROUND I 275 AND 75,
JUST NORTH OF NEWPORT, WENT
OVER TO THE FRENCHTOWN VILLA
MOBILE HOME PARK. BUT A SECOND
TORNADO DID NOW HIT WHERE WE
ARE RIGHT NOW. WE’VE BEEN OUT
HERE SINCE 4:00 THIS AFTERNOON.
AND I CAN SEE WHY THAT THE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS
NOW CONFIRMED THAT SOUTH
ROCKWOOD NOW JUST CONFIRMED OUR
FIFTH TORNADO WITHIN REALLY AN
HOUR’S TIME LAST NIGHT. BUT THE
HOMEOWNER IS SAFE. YOU KNOW, I
WAS TALKING TO THE HOMEOWNER,
DEVIN AND KIMBERLY AND, YOU
KNOW, HE’S JUST KIND OF IN A
DAZE BECAUSE IF YOU HAVE A TREE
DOWN IN YOUR FRONT YARD OR IF
YOU HAVE SOME DEBRIS AROUND
YOUR HOUSE, YOU GET OUT, YOU
START CLEANING IT UP. WHAT DO
YOU DO WITH THIS? I MEAN, YOU
JUST YOU WAIT FOR THE INSURANCE
ADJUSTER TO COME AND IT’S GOING
TO TAKE A LONG TIME. AND HE HAS
TO FIGURE OUT, WHERE AM I GOING
TO SLEEP TONIGHT? WHAT AM I
GOING TO DO? AND SO HE’S STILL
IN A LITTLE BIT OF A LITTLE BIT
OF SHOCK.
>> THERE’S SO MUCH TO THIS
FIRST DAY, THE SHOCK OF WHAT’S
HAPPENED TO YOU AND THEN THE
SCALE OF WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO
JUST LOOKS ENORMOUS AT THIS
POINT. YEAH
>> SO OVERWHELMING. YEAH. YEAH
>> ALL RIGHT, KIM, WE’LL GET
BACK TO YOU HERE IN JUST A FEW
MOMENTS. LAST NIGHT’S STORM
CERTAINLY DID A NUMBER, OF
COURSE, ON THE POWER GRID.
>> YEAH. TAKE A LOOK AT THE
LATEST OUTAGE MAP HERE. RIGHT
NOW, 209,000 DTE CUSTOMERS ARE
WITHOUT ELECTRICITY. HANK
WINCHESTER TRACKING THE EFFORT
TO GET THAT POWER RESTORED.
HANK YEAH.
>> KIMBERLY. DEVIN, GOOD
EVENING TO BOTH OF YOU. THIS IS
THE PROBLEM, AS YOU CAN SEE
RIGHT HERE BEHIND ME, DOWNED
LINES ARE ALL OVER METRO
DETROIT TONIGHT. WE WERE INSIDE
HEADQUARTERS WAS GETTING YOU
THE ANSWERS THAT YOU NEED. AND
WE’VE SEEN TWO LARGE WEATHER
EVENTS ACROSS DTE SERVICE
TERRITORY.
>> FIRST, STARTING ON WEDNESDAY
NIGHT, AFFECTING ROUGHLY 50,000
CUSTOMERS AS WE WERE ABLE TO
RESTORE OVER 85% OF THOSE
CUSTOMERS. AND WE’RE CONTINUING
TO RESTORE THOSE CUSTOMERS AS
DAYS GO ON. AND THEN, AS YOU
KNOW, JUST UNDER 24 HOURS
LATER, WE SAW A SUPERCELL OF
THUNDERSTORMS.
>> DO YOU EVER WONDER HOW D.T.E
. MANAGES AND KEEPS TRACK OF
EVERYTHING THAT’S GOING ON?
WELL, RIGHT NOW, YOU’RE IN THE
STORM OPERATIONS CENTER. AND
TAKE A LOOK AT THIS HUGE GRID
HERE BEHIND ME. THAT MAP IS NOT
ONLY TRACKING THE CREWS ON THE
GROUND, BUT ALSO WHAT AREAS ARE
AFFECTED BY POWER OUTAGES RIGHT
NOW? RIGHT NOW, DTE CREWS ARE
OUT THERE, FANNED OUT ALL OVER
METRO DETROIT, WORKING TO GET
MORE THAN 200,000 PEOPLE
POWERED UP. HERE’S THE PLAN.
>> WE HAVE OUR DTE CONTRACT
CREWS. WE HAVE OUR DTE
EMPLOYEES. WE BROUGHT IN WHAT
WE CALL FOREIGN CREWS FROM
OUTSIDE OF THE STATE TO SUPPORT
OVER 2500 EMPLOYEES WORKING TO
RESTORE OUR CUSTOMERS.
>> AND IF YOU’RE FRUSTRATED, WE
GET IT. YOU’RE NOT ALONE. WHAT
DO YOU SAY TO THE CUSTOMER WHO
SAYS, NOT AGAIN? OKAY, D.T.E,
WHAT’S GOING ON? WHY IS THIS
HAPPENING? I MEAN, IS IT
CHALKED UP TO UNUSUAL WEATHER
EVENT?
>> FIRST OFF, ON BEHALF OF DTE
, I’D LIKE TO APOLOGIZE AND
UNDERSTAND HOW HARD IT CAN BE
TO BE WITHOUT ELECTRICITY. WE
HAVE SEEN MULTIPLE EXTREME
WEATHER EVENTS ACROSS DTE, NOT
ONLY THIS WEEK, BUT MULTIPLE
EVENTS THIS YEAR.
>> THE STORM OPERATION CENTER
MANNED 24 OVER SEVEN. CREWS ARE
WORKING TO IDENTIFY PROBLEMS
AND THEY’RE WORKING TO GET INTO
YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD. BACK OUT
HERE LIVE IN SOUTHFIELD. WE
KNOW THOSE MEN AND WOMEN
WORKING ALL OVER METRO DETROIT
AND YOUR NEIGHBORHOODS. THEY’RE
DOING WHAT THEY CAN TO GET THAT
POWER RESTORED. DTE ALSO NEEDS
SOME HELP FROM YOU, THOUGH. IF
YOU FEEL LIKE YOU HAVEN’T SEEN
A CREW IN YOUR AREA AND YOUR
POWER IS STILL OUT, MAKE SURE
YOU EITHER USE THAT MOBILE APP
TO IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM. LET
THEM KNOW WHAT’S GOING ON OR
CALL DTE DIRECTLY. GIVE THEM AN
UPDATE. WE’RE LIVE HERE TONIGHT
IN SOUTHFIELD. HANK WINCHESTER
HELP ME, HANK LOCAL 4 OKAY.
>> HANK THANK YOU. WAYNE COUNTY
ISSUING A HEALTH ADVISORY
ASKING PEOPLE TO STAY AWAY FROM
THE RIVER ROUGE, THE HURON
RIVER AND THE DETROIT RIVER AND
HERE’S WHY. THE FLOODING CAUSED
LOCAL PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENTS
TO DISCHARGE SOME WASTEWATER,
WHICH IS WAS UNTREATED OR
PARTIALLY TREATED INTO THOSE
WATERWAYS. SO THE BOTTOM LINE
HERE, AVOID ALL CONTACT. KEEP
YOUR PETS AWAY. AVOID EATING
ANY FISH CAUGHT IN THESE RIVERS
FOR THE TIME BEING. IF YOU DO
COME IN CONTACT WITH WATER FROM
ANY OF THOSE RIVERS, AVOID
TOUCHING YOUR FACE. WASH THE
EXPOSED AREAS IMMEDIATELY WITH
SOAP AND WATER.
>> MEANWHILE, IN DETROIT, MAYOR
DUGGAN AND CITY OFFICIALS
ANNOUNCING A NEW PLAN TO CLEAN
UP STORM RELATED TREE DAMAGE.
AN ADDITIONAL 30 PICKUP CREWS
BEING BROUGHT IN TO HELP.
>> I EXPECT ALL OF THESE DEAD
TREES AND BRANCHES REMOVED FROM
THIS CITY IN THE NEXT THREE
WEEKS. WE’RE NOT GOING TO LET
THIS LINGER ACROSS THE CITY.
IT’S GOING TO BE A MASSIVE
EFFORT. BUT WE’RE GOING TO BE
OUT THERE EVERY DAY AND THERE’S
A PHONE NUMBER DETROITERS CAN
CALL THREE ONE, THREE, TWO,
FOUR, 444443132444444.
>> FROM 7 A.M. TO 9 P.M. DAILY
TO REPORT STORM DAMAGED TREES,
RESIDENTS ASKED TO HELP EACH
OTHER. HALL TREE DEBRIS TO THE