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Communities survey damage left behind after severe storms

On Wednesday, tornado warnings were issued for parts of Mecosta, Newaygo, Kent and Ionia counties.

More than 57,000 people were without power in West Michigan after severe storms blew through Wednesday night. 

The most outages were in the Kent County area, specifically Grand Rapids with more than 20,000 outages. You can check the outage map by clicking here.

Consumers Energy is working to restore power to the majority of customers by the end of the day Thursday, with the hardest hit areas expected to be restored by Friday.

Severe weather, including tornado warnings, were issued throughout the area.

Kent County issued a tornado warning with sirens at 7:58 p.m. Wednesday. The warning lasted until 8:30 p.m. Consumers Energy reports winds up to 50 miles per hour across the state. Weather-related outages were reported in more than 30 counties.

Teams from the National Weather Service followed the storm's path to survey the damage from Woodbury to Grand Rapids, which included Lake Odessa, Ada and Lowell. Between Grand Rapids and Ada, the NWS reported that the damage is consistent with winds between 65 and 80 mph, and up to 100 mph in the more significantly damaged areas. There is no conclusive evidence of a tornado touchdown, yet. The teams will also survey Marne and Walker.

A NWS team told a Northeast Grand Rapids resident that it was likely straight line winds that ripped a wall from her home. 

"I couldn’t remember if I had shut the garage door, and I opened up our back door and there was no garage wall," said resident Sarah Burk. 

Burk said she had been outside with her kids not even a half hour before the sky went dark. 

"I am just glad we went inside," she said. 

The storm passed through the neighborhood off Lake Michigan Dr. NE quickly. 

"I'm standing here where we have a wall full of windows it looked like brown debris just brewing out there," said Cheryl Tschosik, a Brunsink Dr. NE resident. "All of the sudden, I'm like get to the basement."

Tschosik said the damage to their neighborhood was stunning and will likely keep residents busy with cleanup efforts for weeks to come. 

The Kent County Emergency Management is asking that motorists specifically avoid these roadways while crews clear debris and they assess the damage:

  • Pettis Ave NE/SE
  • Honey Creek Ave NE/SE
  • Conservation Ave NE
  • Dogwood Ave NE
  • Michigan St NE from Crahen Ave to Grand River Ave
  • Grand River Ave from Knapp St to Michigan St

Residents with non-emergency storm damage who need assistance are asked to call United Way 211 to be connected with resources. Residents who have an emergency and need help should call 911.

Watch: Tornado sirens sound and lightning strikes at U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Center

Here is a roundup of photos sent by viewers:

Tips to avoid severe weather clean-up and repair scams:

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