Wisconsin tornado causes extensive damage and cuts power to thousands of homes
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A tornado swept through Wisconsin on Monday, splintering homes, downing trees and knocking out power to thousands of people.
The National Weather Service, using radar, confirmed a tornado in Winnebago County, about 90 miles (145 kilometers) northwest of Milwaukee.
Video showed chunks of twisted metal and pieces of wood scattered across one highway as cars maneuvered around the debris. A warehouse appeared to be heavily damaged.
Greg Van Driest was working in downtown Appleton when the sky got as dark as night.
“The word we all were using was ‘ominous,’” he said. “It’s like, ‘Whoa, look at that.’ ... You looked outside and you thought it was three in the morning, it was that dark.”
National Weather Service meteorologist Holley Kamba said the agency was receiving reports of a variety of damage in southern Outagamie County and eastern Winnebago County,
“We have been receiving calls of damage with a lot of trees down, power lines down,” Kamba said. “We’ve been searching for some pictures of the structural damage.”
So far, there have been no reports of injuries, she said.
The twister was moving over Lake Winnebago and moving southward toward Fond du Lac County around 12:25 p.m., the National Weather Service said.
The agency had issued a warning for a “destructive, severe” thunderstorm in the area where the tornado hit, Kamba said.
Images posted to social media showed extensive damage in Appleton, including homes stripped of roofs and siding, cars flipped over and streets littered with tree limbs.
The Appleton Police Department said on social media that it was aware of “several downed trees and large tree limbs throughout the city." Some traffic signals were out, and some roads were “heavily backed up,” the department said.
Outagamie County Executive Tom Nelson said he did not yet have any confirmation of fatalities or injuries in the county, which includes Appleton. But he said there was “extensive and severe damage” in Menasha and Fox Crossing with reports of collapsed buildings.
“All indications are that this was a devastating system that has caused extensive damage,” Nelson said.
Nelson said it was not safe to travel in the area with reports of damage, power lines down and road closures.
“Stay put if possible,” he said. “Check on loved ones and neighbors.”
In Menasha, the electric utility said the entire city of about 18,000 people is believed to be without power because of a downed transmission line. Authorities were opening a shelter at a church there for people seeking temporary safety or can’t remain in their homes.
“We are aware of severe damage in broad areas," the Menasha Police Department said in a Facebook post. "We are asking the public to stay indoors, watch out for downed power lines, do not drive around road closures, and do not drive around the area unless absolutely necessary.”
The National Weather Service said severe weather is forecast to continue in east central and southeastern Wisconsin through Monday afternoon. Storms are expected to bring winds exceeding 60 mph (97 kph), along with hail and the possibility of an isolated, brief tornado, the National Weather Service said.
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Mayes-Osterman reported from Chicago. John Seewer in Toledo, Ohio, contributed to this report.
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