Powerful tornado leaves widespread damage in Wisconsin but time of day may have saved lives

29/07/2026

Debris is seen in front of a damaged house after a tornado struck on July 27, in Menasha, Wis. (AP)

WASHINGTON, July 29, (AP): First responders searched homes and buildings on Tuesday for possible victims, a day after a powerful tornado touched down in northeastern Wisconsin, hollowing out homes and toppling power lines as it remained on the ground for more than 20 minutes.

The Fox Cities region, which is home to more than 100,000 people in the cities of Appleton, Menasha and Neenah, was left in shambles by Monday's twister, with homes leveled, cars flipped, and power lines and trees toppled.

Despite widespread damage, the timing of the storm could be why there have been no reported deaths. The tornado arrived in the early afternoon, authorities noted, when most people were awake and after warnings had been issued.

"Everybody was at work. It was the middle of the day,” Menasha Police Chief Matt Albrecht said. "Most people were not at home and at their place of employment.”

Dozens of people were injured, and officers were still going door-to-door a day later in search of possible victims.

David Chew, 55, said a tree smashed through his roof in Menasha, and he still hadn't located an outdoor patio lounger swept away by the storm. But he's better off than a neighbor: A portion of her roof was ripped clean, with furniture and drywall "sucked out.”

"It was just a shocker,” said Chew, who had rushed to the basement with his wife and son.

The tornado touched down around 1 p.m. and remained on the ground for more than 20 minutes, cutting a roughly 12-mile (19.3-kilometer) path of destruction, the National Weather Service reported. The area is about 100 miles (160 kilometers) northwest of Milwaukee.

It was classified as an EF3 tornado - the strongest to strike Outagamie and Winnebago counties since an EF4 touched down in April 1984, the weather service said.

"The depth of the tornado and its impact is incredible, devastating. We’re really still at the assessment stage,” Winnebago County Executive Gordon Hintz said at a news conference Tuesday.

Gov. Tony Evers declared a state of emergency for the affected areas. Shelters were opened for displaced residents.

As chain saws roared in the background, Appleton Mayor Jake Woodford said a number of neighborhoods were "truly devastated.” Like elsewhere in the region, electricity lines were tangled around broken trees, making power restoration a slow, risky process.