Lead
A tornado tore through north-eastern Wisconsin on Monday, leaving a trail of destruction that first responders were still picking through on Tuesday. The storm knocked out power to more than 30,000 people initially, and by Tuesday more than 10,000 customers remained without electricity. Governor Tony Evers declared a state of emergency for the affected areas, and shelters were opened for displaced residents.
Coverage Comparison
Two reports from The Guardian — World detail the aftermath of the storm. The first, published shortly after the tornado struck, focused on the immediate damage and power outages. The second, published a day later, shifted to the search for possible victims and the assessment of the damage, with officials describing the scene as "devastating" and "incredible."
Both accounts agree on the core facts: the tornado struck on Monday, affected communities in north-eastern Wisconsin including Appleton and Menasha, and caused significant destruction. The later report adds details about the tornado's path — it touched down around 1pm and remained on the ground for more than 20 minutes, cutting a roughly 12-mile path of destruction, according to the National Weather Service. The National Weather Service confirmed a tornado in Winnebago county, about 90 miles north-west of Milwaukee.
Key Claims
- A tornado struck north-eastern Wisconsin on Monday, as confirmed by the National Weather Service, which recorded a tornado in Winnebago county.
- More than 30,000 people lost power initially, with more than 10,000 customers still without power by Tuesday.
- Damage was reported in cities including Appleton and Menasha, where police chief Matt Albrecht said some homes and businesses were "severely impacted."
- Dozens of people were injured, though no fatalities had been reported as of Tuesday.
- Governor Tony Evers declared a state of emergency, saying the state "is ready to assist" communities.
- Shelters were opened for displaced residents, and first responders were going door-to-door in search of possible victims.
Menasha police chief Matt Albrecht said the storm's timing may have prevented deaths: "Everybody was at work. It was the middle of the day. Most people were not at home and at their place of employment."
Residents described the experience. Greg Van Driest, who was working in downtown Appleton, said the sky got as dark as night. "The word we all were using was 'ominous,'" he said. "You looked outside and you thought it was three in the morning, it was that dark."
David Chew, 55, said a tree smashed through his roof in Menasha, and he had not yet located an outdoor patio lounger swept away by the storm. He said he was better off than a neighbor, whose roof was ripped clean with furniture and drywall "sucked out." "It was just a shocker," Chew said, who had rushed to the basement with his wife and son.
National Weather Service meteorologist Holley Kamba said the agency was receiving reports of damage in southern Outagamie county and eastern Winnebago county, with "a lot of trees down, power lines down" and structural damage. She said there had been no reports of injuries at that time.
Gordon Hintz, Winnebago county's top elected official, said he had heard multiple reports of buildings completely destroyed and vehicles overturned. All storm warnings that could be made ahead of time were activated, he said. "Obviously when you look at the damage, Mother Nature doesn't really care," he added.
As chainsaws roared in the background and first responders continued their search, the full extent of the damage remained unclear. Officials said they were still assessing the impact, with homes leveled, cars flipped, and power lines and trees toppled across the Fox Cities region, which includes Appleton, Menasha, and Neenah.