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West Branch, MI (WNEM) — A path of destruction was left across many areas of Mid-Michigan after severe storms swept through on Tuesday night.
The National Weather Service confirmed an EF-1 tornado touched down briefly in West Branch, damaging several homes.
“Wind took the roof right off,” said Pastor Daniel Stoneback, West Branch resident.
He is thankful to be alive after fierce winds from the tornado blew off large chunks of his roof.
“I was numb, mostly just numb. But I was thankful I wasn’t home,” Stoneback said.
Now he is left picking up the pieces, but he is getting some much-needed help from friends and the Ogemaw County sheriff.
>>Slideshow: Storm snapshots from Aug. 28<<
Stoneback said the damage to his home was so extensive that it not only took off two-thirds of his roof, but left electrical wires and power lines everywhere.
“There are trees in the yard that are standing on their side and you can see in the backyard where the trunks are broken right off,” Stoneback said.
Meanwhile, less than two miles away, homeowner Lilly Girard is also coping with damage from West Branch’s tornado.
After her neighbor’s metal shed was blown off its foundation it went into the side of her house.
“Well I was watching TV and I heard this real loud bang. And I thought our roof came down, but the shed had come clean across and landed here, missing my window,” Girard said.
She said she is lucky no one was around when it happened and that her home is covered by insurance.
The same goes for Stoneback, who is not as worried about his belongings as he is about another storm.
“Pray that the rain holds off for a little while because there’s no roof,” he said.
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