The nonprofit St. Joseph County United Way in Three Rivers has set up a tornado relief fund after Friday’s tornado through passed through Branch, Cass and St. Joseph counties in Michigan. Friday’s storm killed four and injured more than a dozen. The tornado registered as an EF-1 in Edwardsburg, an EF-2 in Three Rivers, and a 160-mile-per-hour EF-3 near Union City, with survey teams continuing to review damage and finalize ratings. In Union City, the EF-3 tornado with 160-mile-per-hour winds traveled more than three-and-a-half miles and reached 500 yards wide. Multiple buildings suffered severe damage and several homes were destroyed. A mobile home was thrown 100 yards causing a fatality. Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer has declared a state of emergency for those counties. She toured the areas Sunday.

In Edwardsburg, it was a 12-year-old boy who died following the tornado touchdown in Milton Township. The Cass County sheriff’s office received a 911 call around 3:12 p.m. reporting the tornado near the 68000 block of Conrad Road. First responders found the boy being given first aid by his parents. 12-year-old Silas Anderson was transported to South Bend Memorial Hospital, where he later died surrounded by family.

Gov. Whitmer is calling for a federal review after no tornado watch was issued ahead of deadly storms on Friday. Her office wants to know whether staffing or funding cuts at the National Weather Service played a role in the absence of a watch, as the tornadoes caused widespread damage from Edwardsburg to Union City. National Weather Service officials say the storms were highly localized and difficult to predict, while noting the Union City EF-3 is the earliest EF3+ tornado on record for Michigan. According to the National Weather Service, the storms began when “a lone supercell developed in La Porte County, IN and tracked northeast into Lower Michigan,” moving through Cass, St. Joseph and Branch counties during the afternoon. Meteorologists say tornado watches are typically issued for broad regions hours before potential storms develop, while tornado warnings are issued once a tornado has been detected or reported. National Weather Service offices began issuing tornado warnings Friday afternoon after reports of a tornado near Edwardsburg.