BRANCH COUNTY, MI (WTVB) – A line of severe thunderstorms that packed wind gusts of nearly 60 miles per hour raced through the area late Monday afternoon leaving thousands without power.
Branch County was under a severe thunderstorm warning when the line of storms went through between 4:30 p.m. and 5:00 p.m.
The line stretched from near Mount Pleasant south into northern Indiana and then west to Illinois.
Numerous trees and power lines were knocked down in Branch, Hillsdale, Calhoun, and St. Joseph Counties.
No injuries have been reported.
Consumers Energy reported nearly 160,000 customers lost power as of late Monday night.
That included almost 3,000 customers in Branch County which is 19 percent of the utility’s customers in the county.
Just under 4,000 customers were without power in Hillsdale County while another 400 customers were out in St. Joseph County on Monday night.
About 20,000 lost power in Calhoun County. The Battle Creek Fire Departments asked residents to stay home if they did not have to travel because of the number of wires and trees that were taken down because of the storm.
(Photo of downed tree courtesy of Jill Bowers)
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