Nearly 10 million people across the U.S. faced severe weather threats over the Labor Day weekend, including torrential downpours, powerful winds, and hail. In Metro Detroit, tornadoes confirmed by the National Weather Service caused widespread damage, leaving 75,961 customers without power as of 5:45 p.m. Saturday, according to DTE Energy.
Tornadoes confirmed in Southeast Michigan
The National Weather Service verified three tornadoes touched down in Southeast Michigan during the storms. An EF-0 tornado struck Lincoln Park Thursday, uprooting trees and damaging buildings along Fort Street, including the park near Kennedy Memorial Rec and Senior Center. Nearby, the First Baptist Church remained intact despite the storm.
An EF-2 tornado impacted Meldrum and Benson streets in Detroit, severely damaging homes, industrial buildings, and power lines. The New Liberty Baptist Church experienced only a power outage, with Pastor Maurice Stimage noting the community’s unprecedented devastation. “It’s devastating. There are many small businesses in this area wondering how they’re going to come back from this,” Stimage said.
Power restoration efforts underway
DTE Energy reported that 4,000 utility workers were deployed to restore power by Saturday afternoon. Since the storms began Wednesday, 450,000 customers have been affected. As of the latest update, 75,961 remain without service.
Brian Claka, DTE Energy’s Senior Vice President of Electric Operations, described the damage as “one of the most significant weather events” in his career. “Damage that I am seeing here is one of the, if not the most, significant damage due to a weather event in my career,” Claka stated.
Community response and recovery
Residents like Julie Vasquez, a lifelong Lincoln Park resident, expressed shock at the destruction. “We were driving down, and we see these uprooted trees and we couldn’t believe it,” she said. Meanwhile, Stimage emphasized the community’s resilience, stating that church members plan to assist in recovery efforts despite the challenges faced by local businesses.
The storms also disrupted holiday plans for millions, with severe weather warnings extending across multiple states. Officials continue to monitor conditions as crews work to restore full service.