Grand Rapids, Michigan, EF1 Tornado Confirmed; Several Homes Suffer Major Damage

Residents in the Grand Rapids, Michigan, area were battered by a round of severe weather Sunday night that spawned a tornado, leaving several homes heavily damaged.

At about 10:20 p.m. Sunday night, reports of damage to homes and businesses were relayed to the National Weather Service as a severe thunderstorm moved close to downtown Grand Rapids. Winds of at least 80 mph were estimated as the storm passed, and injuries were reported following the event.

"This is sometimes a particularly unnerving possibility for forecasters – a brief tornado forming over a metropolitan area," said weather.com senior meteorologist Jon Erdman. "A radar loop from the NWS Grand Rapids Doppler radar indicated rotation and lofted debris. A damage survey Monday morning will determine whether it was a tornado or straight-line wind damage."

Though there was no tornado warning issued for the storm, the NWS confirmed a high-end EF1 tornado hit the area during a Monday morning survey. The twister had winds as high as 110 mph, according to the damage survey.

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Kent County emergency management coordinator Jack Stewart told WOOD-TV that six people sustained injuries, though the severity of those injuries was unknown. The weather service said two injured people required hospitalization, but the injuries weren't considered severe.

The Associated Press sent a message seeking updated information from Stewart on Monday morning.

"There was this rumbling sound, and it was raining especially hard, before the wind came out of nowhere," Collins said. "I think the car will be OK — the tree kind of just rested on top."

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A roof collapsed at Pizzazz Banquet Center, which was hosting a party, The Grand Rapids Press reported, but no serious injuries were reported.

Flash flood warnings were in effect Monday for a number of western and central Michigan counties as more storms moved through the state. The Weather Service had received reports of flooding in Alma, in Gratiot County, with 6-8 inches of standing water reported in one spot.

The American Red Cross was opening a shelter at Kentwood Community Center for those without power or affected by storm damage.

CMS Energy Corp.'s Consumers Energy unit said Monday morning that roughly 20,000 of its customers lost power. About 9,600 of those homes and businesses are in Kent County, including Kentwood. The utility said it could be late Tuesday before power would be fully restored.

Images of the damage left behind by the storms can be seen below.

Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.