The roof of a Hobby Lobby was ripped off. Traffic lights stopped working. Photos showed damage to an Aldi Grocery Store, with debris crowding a crushed entranceway.
The town was inundated with downed power lines and trees. Authorities have warned residents to stay at least 25 feet away from downed power lines.
"I’ve never seen anything like this in my life," Mayor Todd Sharrard said. "I’m numb."
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer declared a state of emergency Friday in Otsego County, making available all state resources in cooperation with local response and recovery efforts in the area. A shelter for displaced residents was set up at a local church, police said.
"To the entire Gaylord community — Michigan is with you," Whitmer said in a tweet. "We will do what it takes to rebuild."
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