KALAMAZOO COUNTY, Mich. — Kalamazoo County Emergency Management teams finished their preliminary damage assessment surveys Sunday following a confirmed EF-2 tornado in Portage last week.
From Thursday through Saturday, crews followed the path of the tornado and surveyed the damage to structures. The teams classified each affected structure into four damage assessment categories: Destroyed, major damage, minor damage and affected.
The preliminary damage assessment surveys are required by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) so the county can be considered for federal assistance.
After the surveys were submitted to FEMA, the agency decided to send crews to asses the damage done by multiple tornadoes in Kalamazoo, Cass, St. Joseph and Branch counties.
FEMA's crews will begin planning meetings on Tuesday and will be out in neighborhoods completing more in-depth damage assessments on Wednesday.
“This is a traumatic event and a stressful one for many and allowing us to interrupt their personal recovery efforts to begin our collective recovery as a community is greatly appreciated," Mike Corfman, the Kalamazoo County Emergency Management Director said.
Below are the findings from the Kalamazoo County Emergency Management's preliminary damage assessment surveys:
Destroyed (the majority of the structure is beyond repair)
- 25 single family homes
- 8 multi-family buildings
- 24 mobile homes
- 3 business structures (with multiple tenants)
Major damage (will require extensive repairs or demolition)
- 80 single family homes
- 11 multi-family buildings
- 27 mobile homes
- 10 business structures (multiple tenants)
- 1 non-profit organization structure
Minor damage (would be able to be repaired)
- 75 single family homes
- 24 multi-family buildings
- 54 mobile homes
- 5 business structures (multiple tenants)
- 1 non-profit organization structure
Over 250 other structures were classified in the affected category (storm damage noticed but very easily repaired).
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