When a fast‑moving thunderstorm rolled into Detroit’s east side on Thursday afternoon, residents of the West Village neighborhood were watching from their porches, unaware that a brief tornado may have touched down nearby. Lightning struck a transformer, plunging the block into darkness, and a brief video captured by local couple Sina Almassi and Caitlin Bricely appears to show a funnel cloud – the first possible tornado in the city since 1997.
Immediate impact and citywide damage
The storm left a trail of downed trees, snapped power lines and minor structural damage along Vernor Highway and Charlevoix Street. While the Almassi‑Bricely home suffered little beyond a brief power outage, neighbors a block away reported more serious damage, including broken windows and debris littering streets.
Metro Detroit experienced widespread outages, with more than 250,000 customers without electricity by noon Friday. An EF‑0 tornado also touched down in Marysville, St. Clair County, underscoring the severity of the weather system that battered the region.
Mayor Sheffield’s response
Mayor Mary Sheffield held a press conference Thursday evening, emphasizing a “multi‑departmental response” to protect residents. She instructed anyone who sees downed power lines to report them immediately to DTE Energy and to stay clear of the hazards. Residents with fallen trees or property damage were asked to contact the city’s General Services Department for assistance.
Sheffield also announced that additional briefings would be held, with another press conference scheduled for 1 p.m. the following day, featuring city officials and emergency managers to update the public on cleanup progress and safety measures.
Community effort on Belle Isle
Damage extended to Belle Isle, where downed trees and flooding disrupted roadways and several structures. Meagan Elliott, president and CEO of the Belle Isle Conservancy, confirmed that no one was injured and that the Michigan Department of Natural Resources has been working around the clock to clear debris and restore safe passage.
Elliott called for volunteers to join a cleanup effort at 1 p.m., urging participants to wear sturdy shoes, gloves and bring water. The focus will be on trash pickup and brush removal, a first step toward returning the island to its usual recreational use.
Utility restoration progress
DTE Energy’s Storm Response Team reported that it has already restored power to more than 145,000 customers affected by the storm series. The utility expects to have 65% of remaining customers back online by the end of Friday, 90% by Saturday, and full restoration by Sunday. Nearly 4,000 response team members, including over 1,200 out‑of‑state field workers, are on the ground working safely and efficiently.
What residents can do
- Report downed power lines to DTE Energy immediately.
- Contact the General Services Department for tree removal assistance.
- Stay informed through city press releases and local news updates.
- Consider volunteering for community clean‑up events, such as the Belle Isle effort.
The National Weather Service is investigating the area to confirm whether this was Detroit’s first tornado touchdown in nearly three decades. As crews continue to clear debris and restore services, city officials stress that safety remains the top priority for all residents.
Original reporting: BridgeDetroit — read the source article.
