GAYLORD (WWJ) – Michigan State Police are delivering some positive news out of Gaylord Sunday morning, as officials say there are no people unaccounted for in the wake of Friday’s deadly tornado.
Gaylord was blasted by a deadly EF3 tornado Friday, leaving two people dead and at least 44 injured, as of reports on Saturday.
MSP officials said Sunday morning power had also been restored to about 99% of customers in Gaylord.
The two biggest roads in the area – I-75 and M-32 – are open, while secondary roads would be closed as needed, according to MSP.
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Gov. Gretchen Whitmer declared a state of emergency for the Northern Michigan town after surveying the damage left in the wake of the tornado and relief has been pouring into the town since.
Crews are still working to clear debris and downed branches that littered the town after reported winds of up to 150 mph.
Monique Runyon, senior forecaster at the National Weather Service Gaylord, told WWJ things "could have been worse," in terms of the death toll, injuries and destruction.
"It hit, obviously, in the afternoon on a Friday. So that's certainly gonna be a lot of people driving around, running around, doing their thing, doing whatever they have to do for their life," Runyon said live on WWJ Sunday afternoon.
"We only had, as far as we know, 44 injuries and unfortunately two fatalities. But I think that it could have been worse. Like you said, if it happened at night," she told WWJ's Greg Bowman.
Runyon says most people heeded the warning, which was issued about 10 minutes before the tornado touched down.
MSP officials said Sunday that residents of the Nottingham Forest Mobile Home Park -- which was among the hardest hit areas -- are now being allowed to return to their properties. Residents must show ID and proof of residency before entering.
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