PORTAGE, Michigan — The Oak Brook Estates Mobile Home Park looks unimaginably different in Wednesday's early morning light after two confirmed large and extremely dangerous tornadoes tore through Portage.
They were two of several to slice through Michigan Tuesday evening.
One couple who live in the senior living community might not be here to see the wreckage if it weren't for one quick-thinking step.
Linda Poveda told 13 ON YOUR SIDE her harrowing tale of escape.
"Our daughter from Nebraska said 'mom, you gotta get out of the house. Gotta go somewhere. Go to the library.' And so we went over to the library and there were a lot of people in the library downstairs taking shelter," she said.
When the storm cleared, they went home. But their home wasn't where they left it.
Their mobile home was ripped from its foundation and thrown on top of a nearby car.
It was the quick action of taking shelter that saved them from being injured or worse. Some of their neighbors weren't as lucky.
"We came home, got here, and they were pulling somebody out of the rubble over there and I think she's the only one that was really injured," said Poveda.
We're told that woman is recovering and will be okay.
Fortunately for the couple, both of their sons live in Portage and they'll be staying with them until they figure out a new place to live.
The Midwest region saw a total of seven tornadoes, at least four of which are believed to have been in Southwest Michigan and two of those four are believed to have hit Portage. The damage across the city, which is believed to be disastrous, is still being assessed.
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer has declared a State of Emergency for the area and three other nearby counties.
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