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The aftermath of the deadly Gaylord tornado: dozens injured, damage assessment underway

The death toll has risen to two, Michigan State Police shared Saturday morning.

GAYLORD, Mich. — The morning after a twister tore through Gaylord, Michigan, the community is cleaning up while taking stock of the damage.

Severe weather struck the northern Michigan town Thursday afternoon, leaving at least two dead and injuring more than 40 people. 

Michigan State Police gave an update Saturday morning and shared crews had located another person dead in a mobile home park. Both victims are in their 70s, police said. 

A shelter was set up at the E-Free Church in Gaylord where the Red Cross is helping those who need it. About 11 people are still at the shelter receiving aid, MSP said.

Michigan State Police created a hotline to take reports of missing persons in the Gaylord region. You can call 989-705-3780 if you need to report a missing person in Gaylord. 

Power was lost through most of the area, law enforcement said. About 6,500 homes are without power, which makes about 32 percent without power throughout the region. 

Verizon has set up mobile towers to help folks call 911. 

A curfew has been set for the town from sunset Saturday night to sunrise Sunday morning.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer visited Gaylord in the wake of the devastation, declaring a state of emergency for Otsego County. Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II toured the city on Saturday, holding a press conference to speak on its recovery.

The state of emergency makes available all state resources and authorizes Michigan State Police, Emergency Management and Homeland Security Division (MSP/EMHSD) to coordinate efforts above and beyond what emergency crews have already been doing.

RELATED: Mayor: 1 killed, 44 injured after tornado rips through Gaylord, Michigan

In a neighborhood north of Main Street in Gaylord, you can see trees ripped from their roots laying horizontal in the grass. 

Most homes along this stretch are damaged in some way, and several are damaged. 

Our crews spotted a downed power line just down the road from the Otsego Memorial Hospital. 

The National Weather Service in Gaylord expects the storm survey to be completed Saturday when they'll determine the strength of the tornado and hammer out its official path. 

Authorities plan to give an update on the state of damage assessment and emergency response at 10 a.m. 

13 ON YOUR SIDE will livestream the update. 

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