A string of powerful thunderstorms packing reported wind gusts of 70 mph and in some places quarter-size hail wreaked havoc throughout the area Wednesday evening.
The storms caused the death of a Menominee County woman who was killed when a tree fell on top of her car in Keshena. The identity of the victim was being withheld pending notification of the family.
Downed trees and utility lines were reported in several areas, leaving thousands without power.
Winds approaching 80 mph were reported in the Bonduel area where there was significant damage to homes, according to Shawano County Emergency Management.
Authorities were still assessing the damage and responding to storm-related emergency calls early Thursday.
“We’re still collecting information,” Emergency Management Director Natalie Easterday said.
The storms knocked out power to more than 1,100 people in Wescott and more than 1,000 south of Shawano and stretching to the Bonduel area. Power outages affected more than 20,000 Wisconsin Public Service and WE Energies customers in Wisconsin and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
Trees and power lines were reported down throughout the county, with a large stretch of them from the Stockbridge-Munsee Indian Reservation to Gresham.
Trees and power lines were also reported down throughout Shawano.
Emergency crews at one point were called out to a report of a person trapped in their vehicle after a tree crashed down on it. Further information on that incident was not available at press time.
State Highway 47 in Menominee County was closed down just before 8 p.m. from County Road M to state Highway 55 in Neopit due to what officials called a weather-related emergency.
Police scanners buzzed with activity throughout the storm and continued after it moved through. Fires were reported in Birnamwood. Two transformer fires were reported in Shawano, as well as a gas leak in the 1300 block of South Main Street.
Tornado warnings were issued shortly after 7 p.m. for Menominee, Shawano and Oconto counties. Rotation was reported near Keshena and Bonduel, but no reports of a tornado touching down were being reported at press time.
The American Red Cross was working with Shawano County Emergency Management to evaluate the damage and coordinate the response to those impacted.
Categories
