By Jason Wesseldyk
Sports Editor
A severe storm system moved through the Otsego and Plainwell area late Tuesday night, April 14, leaving behind widespread damage and power outages across both communities after two tornadoes touched down within minutes of each other.
According to the National Weather Service, an EF0 tornado first touched down near Schermerhorn Lake at 11:38 p.m., remaining on the ground for approximately 6.5 miles.
A second, stronger EF1 tornado followed at 11:52 p.m., traveling through Otsego and into Plainwell before lifting near Hickory Corners shortly after midnight.
The EF1 tornado reached peak wind speeds of 100 mph and stretched up to 175 yards wide at times.
Despite the intensity of the storm and the extent of the damage, local officials confirmed there were no injuries or fatalities.
Damage seen across both communities
In both Otsego and Plainwell, the most widespread damage came from downed trees and power lines, many of which blocked roads and damaged homes and buildings.
“So many trees down,” Otsego City Manager Aaron Mitchell said. “With those trees came downed powerlines. Luckily it appears they have mostly avoided buildings.
“There were a few buildings that had a partial hit, but there was no devastating destruction that you would have expected. So in many ways we were blessed to avoid significant damage across the city.”
Plainwell saw more direct impacts in some areas, particularly on the north side of the city.
“Unfortunately, the storm caused a great deal of damage to homes on the north side of Plainwell,” Plainwell City Manager Justin Lakamper said. “We are seeing a large number of downed trees, several of which fell on people’s homes, sheds, decks and fences causing significant damage.”
He said the change in some areas was striking.
“Visually, the number of trees that are gone is stunning,” Lakamper said. “There are areas that previously were heavily wooded that no longer are.”
Among the hardest-hit areas were neighborhoods along Miller Road and sections of 6th, 9th and 10th streets, where uprooted trees and debris left properties significantly altered.
North of Plainwell along 106th Avenue, the storm caused major damage to structures, including a business that lost its roof and a nearby farm where a newly built barn was torn from its foundation and scattered hundreds of yards away.
Debris from those sites was blown onto U.S. 131, forcing an overnight closure.
In Otsego, crews worked to clear large tree debris from residential streets including Oak and Morrell streets, while a clinic along M-89 sustained damage from falling trees.
Response began almost immediately
As the storm moved through just before midnight, emergency crews in both communities were already responding.
“When it hit, around midnight Tuesday night, our fire department started responding to calls for downed wires, and shortly after that came calls for trees blocking the roads, which brought our DPW in,” Mitchell said.
The power outages also triggered automatic responses from other city departments.
“When the power went out, it triggered automatic call-ins to our water and wastewater employees,” Mitchell said. “They came in around midnight and worked through the entire morning and eventually left in the mid-afternoon of Wednesday. Pretty incredible example of public service.”
In Plainwell, Lakamper said crews were out immediately.
“Literally within minutes of the storm passing, both our department of public works and public safety staff were out securing downed powerlines, directing traffic and clearing roads of debris,” he said. “Everyone worked through the night into the morning hours to make sure everyone was safe until we could fully assess the damage in daylight.”
Power outages, coordination efforts follow
At the height of the storm, more than 12,500 customers in Allegan County were without power.
Consumers Energy deployed crews throughout the area, restoring power to nearly all affected customers by Thursday, April 16.
“Consumers Energy has done a great job of restoring power to the community,” Lakamper said. “There were snapped power poles and downed lines all over the place, which they were immediately working on repairing.”
In Otsego, coordinating with utility crews added another layer to the response.
“Our fire department had to coordinate with Consumers as they were activating powerlines,” Mitchell said. “They had to confirm the status of each line at more than 50 locations. Not an easy task in the middle of a tornado cleanup.”
The storm also led to school closures for Otsego Public Schools and Plainwell Community Schools on Wednesday, April 15, with Plainwell also closed Thursday.
Governor Gretchen Whitmer later declared a state of emergency for Allegan County to assist with recovery efforts.
Cleanup efforts ongoing
While major roadways have since reopened, cleanup efforts continue, particularly for public works crews handling debris removal.
“The most ongoing work will be the DPW,” Mitchell said. “They will be dealing with this storm for weeks.”
He said crews are focusing on clearing damaged trees from city-owned properties, including parks and areas near the Kalamazoo River.
“We have directed residents to begin pulling their brush out to the curb, and we will be going around town as soon as we can to start collecting that,” Mitchell said.
In Plainwell, early efforts focused on clearing roads before shifting to residential areas.
“Our DPW worked through the night clearing trees from the roads in the city and township,” Lakamper said. “Public safety assisted with closing down 131, shutting down streets for utility crews and responding to calls.”
Additional debris pickup is expected to continue in the coming days.
Community response stands out
While the damage was significant, both city managers pointed to the response from residents as a bright spot.
“People have been out all day working with each other to pick up,” Lakamper said. “It is amazing to see how much work has been accomplished in such a short period of time. There is a real sense of resiliency and desire to build back that which was lost.”
Mitchell said the storm has also brought attention to the challenges some residents now face.
“It just breaks my heart knowing how much some of these trees mean to our property owners,” he said. “And I understand how much it costs to have a tree cut up and removed. Many did not budget for that.”
At the same time, he said many have stepped up to help.
“There have been multiple individuals asking how they can help those who need help,” Mitchell said. “We’ve encouraged people to connect through community pages to coordinate those efforts.”
Recovery continues
Local organizations have also stepped in to support recovery efforts, including the Allegan County Community Foundation and Heart of West Michigan United Way, which have launched relief funds for affected residents.
Officials continue to encourage residents to report property damage as recovery efforts move forward.
More than a week after the storm, both communities continue to work through cleanup and recovery efforts—and while the process will take time, the response has already made an impact.
“By the end of Wednesday (April 15), many of the immediate issues had been resolved and plans were in place moving forward,” Mitchell said. “It was an incredible example of public service and community working together.”
