Kalamazoo County Sheriff releases bodycam after May 7 EF-2 tornado
By: A video presentation released by the Kalamazoo County Sheriff's Office Friday is showing search and rescue operations conducted after an EF-2 tornado pushed through Portage on May 7.
The tornado touched down near South 10th Street and West R Avenue, and traveled 11 miles over 22 minutes with a path up to 900 feet wide, according to the sheriff's office.
With a maximum wind speed of 135 mph, the EF-2 tornado lifted for the final time near East N Avenue and 31st Street.
The National Weather Service issued an alert of a second tornado moving on the same path about an hour after the first alert lifted, but this tornado could not be confirmed by independent ground damage or photos, deputies said.
In all, two mobile home parks, including Kalamazoo County's largest with 531 sites, multiple apartment complexes, a FedEx facility and other homes and businesses were hit in the course of the storm, deputies said.
Additionally, emergency management teams assessed 1,100 buildings across Texas Township, Portage and Pavilion Townships.
Broken down, 340 structures suffered cosmetic damages while 348 more had minor damage, 246 were majorly damaged and 135 buildings were destroyed, according to the sheriff's office.
Texas Township and Pavilion Township experienced a total of 51 homes destroyed, while 201 others were damaged by the tornado, deputies said.