MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A tornado that touched down in northeastern Wisconsin and remained on the ground for more than 20 minutes hollowed out homes, tossed around cars and toppled power lines as it left the area a splintered mess.There have been no reports of deaths or missing people caused by the twister that carved a path of destruction Monday through the Fox Cities region, which includes Appleton, Menasha and Neenah, about 100 miles (160 kilometers) northwest of Milwaukee. Authorities haven’t said how many people were injured, though at least one witness described seeing someone being pulled from a destroyed building who appeared to be in rough shape.The tornado, which touched down early Monday afternoon and was preceded by warnings to take cover, remained on the ground for about 12 miles (19 kilometers), t he National Weather Service said Tuesday.
It tore the roofs from some homes and businesses, flipped vehicles, sheered off tree tops and knocked down utility poles, leaving more than 15,000 still without power Tuesday in Winnebago and Outagamie counties, according to PowerOutage.us. It could be several days before power is restored.Shelters were opened for displaced residents. A boil water advisory was issued for part of a water system in Fox Crossing that lost pressure.“All indications are that this was a devastating system that has caused extensive damage,” said Tom Nelson, the Outagamie County executive.
