Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com


Governor Gretchen Whitmer has declared a state of emergency for Branch, Cass, and St. Joseph Counties to assist with response and recovery efforts related to a deadly tornado outbreak in southwest Michigan.

Governor Whitmer said “This state of emergency declaration will ensure that every state resource is available to assist in recovery efforts from the devastating tornadoes on Friday. Our entire state is wrapping its arms around Three Rivers, Union City, Edwardsburg, and everywhere in between. Our hearts are with the families who lost loved ones and the Michiganders who were injured.”

Multiple tornadoes touched down across the region last Friday - causing widespread damage, injuries, and loss of life. Three people were killed when an EF-3 tornado struck Union City in Branch County.

According to the National Weather Service, it is the deadliest tornado in Michigan since 1980. Another tornado in Cass County claimed one life.

Michigan State Police continues to support response and recovery efforts, saying teams are coordinating through the State Emergency Operations Center and working around the clock to ensure all local needs are met.

First responders from multiple agencies in the Union Lake area near Union City worked to clear roads and debris over the weekend. Disaster relief workers went door to door in the Union City and Three Rivers areas to offer meals and cleanup supplies.

Photos and videos posted on social media showed flattened homes and downed trees in a lakeside neighborhood.

The National Weather Service said an initial assessment confirmed that an EF3 tornado with winds of at least 150 mph struck the Union Lake area Friday.

The weather service also reported seven preliminary tornado tracks in eastern Oklahoma that same day, according to the state's emergency operations center.

At least three people were killed and 12 were injured in the Union Lake area, according to the Branch County Sheriff’s Office. It was the second tornado to hit Union City in two years. An EF1 tornado with 95 mph winds touched down briefly in May 2024 and destroyed a machine shed.

About 50 miles southwest of Union Lake, a 12-year-old boy died and several other people were injured during a possible tornado, per the Cass County Sheriff’s Office. Sheriff Clint Roach said in a Facebook post that Silas Anderson's parents found him injured and provided first aid, but he later died at a hospital.

By declaring a state of emergency, the governor has authorized the use of all available state resources to assist local response and recovery operations in the affected counties.

The MSP Emergency Management and Homeland Security Division (EMHSD) is coordinating the state’s emergency response through the State Emergency Operations Center.

The declaration also allows eligible communities to seek financial assistance under Michigan’s Emergency Management Act. The funding helps local governments cover emergency response costs and repair public infrastructure damaged by the storms. Additional state and federal disaster assistance programs may also be pursued as damage assessments continue.

Aerial drone footage of damage can be viewed in the provided link.

Photos: MSP/AP