6 Dead as Michigan and Oklahoma Hit by Severe Weather Outbreak

At least four people in Michigan and two others in Oklahoma have died after a severe weather outbreak.

The Branch County Sheriff’s Office in the Union Lake area, which is north of Detroit, reported that a tornado killed three people and injured 12 others on March 6.

In Cass County, Michigan, which is located in the southern part of the state along the Indiana border, officials confirmed one death and several injuries after a tornado on March 6.

Michigan State Police released aerial images on March 7 showing some of the destruction from the brutal storms, but officials did not specify which county the photos were from.

“I’m devastated by the damages and lives lost from the tornadoes that ripped through Southwest Michigan, and grateful to the first responders who are providing support,” Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) wrote on X.

As of noon EDT, more than 13,500 people remained without power in Michigan, according to PowerOutage.com. The majority of the outages were in the northwest part of the state.

In Oklahoma, more than 1,100 customers remained without power, with most outages reported in the southeastern part of the state.

On March 5, a mother and daughter died just north of Oklahoma City during a severe weather outbreak that lasted several days.

Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt declared a state of emergency for Alfalfa, Creek, Grant, Major, Okmulgee, Rogers, Tulsa, and Wagoner counties on the morning of March 7, following storms that caused damage across multiple parts of the state.

Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) and his wife offered prayers for people who were hit in his state.

“Cindy and I are praying for all those affected by the tornadoes last night, especially for the family of the mother and daughter lost in the storm,” Lankford wrote in an X post on March 6.

“Thank you to all the first responders and volunteers helping their neighbors in a difficult moment. Please continue to pray for the families grieving and the communities beginning recovery.”

The National Weather Service is predicting that central Michigan will see another round of thunderstorms on the afternoon of March 7, with only a marginal risk of severe weather.

The agency warned that there’s still a risk of severe weather, flash floods, and widespread showers from Texas to the Great Lakes on March 7, which will move into the Mid-Atlantic and New England overnight.

The threat of severe weather and flash flooding is expected to be isolated on March 8, according to the NWS.