Severe storms pounded the Midwest on Tuesday, bringing heavy rain, strong winds, and tornadoes across the area. This followed a deadly tornado that hit a small town in Oklahoma the previous day, resulting in at least one fatality.
Tornadoes were reported after sunset on Tuesday in Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio. Parts of Illinois, Kentucky, and Missouri were also under a tornado watch, according to the National Weather Service.
Forecasters warned that the storms could continue late into the night, potentially bringing more tornadoes and large hail.
In southwestern Michigan, two tornadoes struck the city of Portage near Kalamazoo.
Damaged FedEx Facility (Via Jimmy Butler/Shutterstock)
Despite causing severe damage to homes and businesses, including a FedEx facility, officials reported no serious injuries. At one point, about 50 people were trapped inside the facility due to downed power lines, but all were safely evacuated, according to FedEx spokesperson Shannon Davis.
Elsewhere, entire homes were demolished in a nearby mobile home park.
The National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center documented over a dozen reports of tornadoes from Monday evening through early Tuesday across the central United States. Eight tornadoes were reported in Oklahoma, with additional tornadoes in Kansas, South Dakota, Iowa, Nebraska, Missouri, and Tennessee.
These intense storms are part of a period of extreme weather worldwide, including devastating flooding in Brazil and a severe heat wave in Asia.
