Severe storms claim 7 lives across Midwest, leave nearly 1.2 million people without power

Seven people were reported dead after a powerful storm system swept across the Midwest, mid-Atlantic, and southern United States on March 30 and 31. Four fatalities were reported in Michigan, two in Indiana, and one in Oklahoma.

Ice buildup on trees and power lines caused widespread outages and road blockages, leaving nearly 500 000 energy customers — about 1.2 million people — without power by Monday morning, March 31.

As of 13:30 UTC on Tuesday, April 1, there are still 202 000 customers or about 500 000 people in Michigan without power, 27 000 customers in Wisconsin, and 21 000 in Indiana.

The Storm Prediction Center (SPC) received 24 tornado reports on Sunday and Monday.

Five tornadoes were reported in Michigan on Sunday, four in Mississippi, four in Ohio, two each in Illinois, Kentucky, and Indiana, and one each in Missouri, Arkansas, and Tennessee. Two were reported on Monday — one in Alabama and one in Louisiana.

Significant storm damage was reported across the Midwest, including in the city of Elkhart, Indiana, where multiple trees and power lines were downed, blocking roads and causing power outages on Monday. The city’s police department advised residents not to leave their homes unless absolutely necessary in order to allow cleanup crews to work without obstruction.

The South Bend Police Department in Indiana reported that the storm passed through the region between 16:30 to 22:00 local time (LT) on Sunday. The department received 168 calls for assistance during that period, most of which were related to storm damage. Multiple vehicles were crushed by falling trees, and several structures were damaged.

In Alabama, a suspected tornado hit Dothan City on Monday, March 31, injuring five children as the storm ripped the roof off Dothan Preparatory School. Two were transported to a local hospital for further evaluation, while the remaining three did not require hospitalization.

An EF-2 tornado with peak winds of 195 km/h (120 mph) touched down in St. Landry Parish, Louisiana, on Monday, ripping the roof off a home but causing no injuries.

According to the Kalamazoo County, Michigan, Sheriff’s Office, three members of the same family were killed on Sunday when a tree fell onto a vehicle. Three others were hospitalized, with one in critical condition and two in stable condition.

In Ingham County, Mississippi, a 58-year-old man died on Sunday after a tree fell onto his house. Two deaths were reported in Indiana, with one man dying after his semi-truck and trailer were blown over by winds reaching up to 129 km/h (80 mph). Another man was reported dead in Millersburg when thunderstorm winds blew over an Amish buggy at the intersection of SR-13 and CR 43.

Some areas, including the National Weather Service (NWS) office in Gaylord, reported up to 2.5 cm (1 inch) of ice. Continued rainfall led to concerns about flooding in certain areas, prompting minor flood alerts for rivers, including the Manistee River near Sherman and the Rifle River near Sterling on Monday.

While temperatures are forecast to be relatively warm through Tuesday, April 1, parts of the affected regions, including Michigan, could see a wintry mix of rain and snow with the possibility of a few thunderstorms on Wednesday, April 2.

References:

¹ SPC storm reports – SPC – March 31, 2025

² Governor Whitmer Declares State of Emergency for 10 Michigan Counties to Support Recovery After Severe Ice Storms – Michigan.gov – March 31, 2025