Portage, MI – Southwest Michigan is grappling with the aftermath of devastating tornadoes that swept through the area on Tuesday. The National Weather Service has plans to assess the tornadoes’ strength on Wednesday, particularly in areas like the Portage area of Kalamazoo County and Centreville in St. Joseph County, which sustained significant damage.
According to the Kalamazoo County Sheriff’s Office, approximately 15 to 17 homes were destroyed at Pavilion Estates, a mobile home park in Portage. Officials reported that between 16 to 20 people sustained injuries during the storms; however, these injuries are not life-threatening.
In response to the disaster, the City of Portage has established two shelters for displaced residents: First Assembly of God on Oakland Drive and Radiant Church on Romence Road, each with a capacity to house 100 people. Displaced residents needing assistance are encouraged to contact 1.800.RED.CROSS.
For non-emergency services, residents can reach out to the Kalamazoo County Sheriff’s Office or utilize the city of Portage’s designated non-emergency contact numbers for services such as brush pickup and cleanup assistance.
Governor Gretchen Whitmer has declared a state of emergency for multiple counties, including Kalamazoo, St. Joseph, Branch, and Cass, to facilitate state aid for local recovery efforts. Consumers Energy reports widespread outages with more than 23,000 customers affected across Michigan as of Wednesday morning. The company aims to restore power to the majority by day’s end. Residents are urged to maintain a safe distance from downed power lines and report them immediately to emergency services and Consumers Energy.
