WHITEHALL, Mich. — Tuesday's strong storm slammed Michigan's lakeshore communities. New drone video taken the day after showcases the scope of the damage in Whitehall, one of the hardest-hit areas.
13 ON YOUR SIDE visited homes along South Lake Street and South Shore Drive in Whitehall Wednesday and found roof damage, a path of fallen trees, damage to docks, and more.
Tuesday morning, half of Muskegon County was inaccessible due to downed power lines and trees.
At one point on Tuesday, most of Muskegon County was without power. Consumers Energy's outage map shows power was restored to 70% of customers the next day.
RELATED: Whitehall man narrowly escapes being crushed by tree falling into home during Tuesday morning storms
Residents of the area said they haven't seen storm damage like this in over 20 years.
One fallen tree in the Spring Valley Estates neighborhood landed in a home and left a gaping hole in their roof over one bedroom. The home was also left with extensive water damage throughout the home down into the basement.
The home's owners are trying to save whatever possessions they can as they wait for their next steps. Homeowner Larry Delis said the tree barely missed him.
"I walked out of the bedroom, I came close to being a victim," said Delis.
Delis said he was sleeping when his wife called for him to get to safety. He left the bedroom but then was about to go back in to grab some clothes when he watched insulation rain down from the ceiling as the tree crashed through their roof.
More than 65% of Consumers Energy customers in Whitehall are without power as of 2:30 p.m. Wednesday. Muskegon County was among the hardest West Michigan communities hit during the storms.
If you are anyone you know is in need of shelter or necessities, you can call 211 to be connected with those resources.
Whitehall storm damage
Consumers Energy urges the public to keep important safety tips in mind:
- Be alert to crews working along roadsides. Drivers should slow down or stop and wait for oncoming traffic to clear so they can go safely past.
- ·Stay at least 25 feet away from downed power lines, and to report unguarded downed lines by calling 9-1-1 and Consumers Energy at 800-477-5050. Consumers Energy reminds people that falsely calling in downed lines actually slows down the restoration process for everyone.
- Never use a generator in an attached garage, basement, enclosed patio or near any air intakes. Doing so could cause a generator to produce hazardous levels of carbon monoxide, an odorless, colorless and deadly gas. Read more guidance on safe generator use here.
- Consumers Energy will trim or remove trees interfering with electric restoration activities. Once safe to do so, clean-up of debris from tree trimming or removal during a storm emergency is the responsibility of individual property owners.
- In some cases, the mast that holds the electric service wires to a home or business may have been damaged or torn away. Crews will reconnect the wires to a home, but only a licensed electrician can repair or replace a mast or a cable.
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