Perry residents taking stock of damage after tornado hits with nearly 100 mph winds

Perry residents are taking stock of the damage Saturday after a tornado with nearly 100 mph winds tore through their community Friday evening with little warning.

Perry, which is about 25 miles northeast of Lansing, declared a state of emergency after the twister felled trees and damaged homes and some downtown buildings. No injuries were reported.

The National Weather Service's Detroit Office said Saturday morning the EF-1 tornado had an estimated peak wind of 95 mph. It hit starting at 7:51 p.m. and left a path about 3 miles long and a maximum of 430 yards wide, ending about 8:03 p.m.

Mayor Sue Hammond said before the tornado touched down fire department officials tried to sound sirens to warn the city's 2,100 residents, but the alert system was pulverized by the storm, leaving residents with very little time to respond and take cover. 

Clean up efforts, she said, have been region-wide, generating support from U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin, Shiawassee County Commissioner Thomas Emery and other elected officials.

"Gratitude. I am very proud of the residents' reaction to what's going on. They have stepped up and helped us clean stuff up. I know that we've got a long road ahead, but I'm so glad that no one was hurt."

The weather service said the tornado touched down about three miles west of Perry around Beardslee Road, just south of West Britton Road, and traveled through Ruess Road and Boulder Lane, downing trees and large limbs along the way.

"The tornado then intensified as it entered into the city of Perry," the weather service said. "Damage located around the intersection of Polly St and Lamb St and southeast into the intersection of 2nd St and Washington St consisted of large uprooted trees, sheared large tree limbs, major roofing damage to several outbuildings, and shingle/siding damaging to some residential homes."

Kevin Tyler, superintendent of the city's Department of Public Works, said while City Hall was spared damage, a nearby pavilion was hit and will be disassembled to maintain safety and manage debris.

Facilities housing equipment like lawn mowers, leaf blowers and brush chippers were also caved in, totaling hundreds of thousands of dollars of loss, he said. 

Property damage aside, ensuring residents are safe and roads are clear for travel are top priorities, he said.

"We're trying to get crews onsite to open roadways and driveways for residents. We're trying our best to manage the issues at-hand by making sure everyone has everything they need," Tyler said.

More:Tornado strikes Perry as severe weather rips through Michigan

Gustavo Barahona, 32, and Kaitlyan Hampton, 27, were home with their 1-year-old son and dog watching the Lions game when they heard strong winds and heavy rain pummeling their home.

Barahona said after seeing a funnel touch down from their living room window, he immediately gathered his family and headed for the basement.

“The lights were flickering. It got quiet all of a sudden, then it started sounding like a train, but we had no warning. We were scared but moved into survival mode. It could’ve been a lot worse.”

Video taken from a nearby highway and posted on social media shows drivers pulled over on the side of the road as a funnel cloud in the sky appears to touch down. 

Taylor Stanley, 26, was home, napping in the living room when the twister hit. Stanley said she hadn't gotten any alerts that a tornado was in the area, but responded in real time by swiftly moving to the basement and calling her mother. 

"Time felt like it moved very slow, but fast at the same time," Stanley said. "My adrenaline was just pumping, and all I could think of was 'call mom' — I just really wanted my mom."

The city asked residents to limit sewer usage Friday night because of power outages and a strain on pumping stations.

About 670 Consumers Energy customers were impacted by outages. Utility crews addressed issues in several pockets between Lansing and Flint.