Volunteers clean up damage on Belle Isle after Monday's storms

BELLE ISLE, Mich. – It only took a couple of minutes for storms to create a mess on Belle Isle, but it's taking a major effort to clean up.

ORIGINAL STORY: Massive cleanup operation underway after storms leave mess on Belle Isle

Jake Brown, with Michigan's Department of Natural Resources, was on Belle Isle when the storms hit. 

"Everything went dark, then everything went white with the rain," Brown said. "We started seeing trees get ripped apart."

The storms came in fast and hit hard, leaving tree limbs everywhere. Brown thought he was caught in a tornado.

"There's trees probably up to 36 inches that were affected," Brown said.

The damage left on Belle Isle was hard to believe. DNR district supervisor Michael Terell estimates 75 to 100 trees were pulled from the ground or were damaged enough to require being removed.

"Mostly, it's the trees," Brown said. "You'll see a little less foliage around here and a little less coverage from the sun."

Crews and volunteers from around the state started working Tuesday and will continue through Friday. The goal is to get Belle Isle back in tip-top shape for the weekend.


About the Authors:

Local 4 Defender Shawn Ley is an Emmy award-winning journalist who has been with Local 4 News for more than a decade.

Derick is the Lead Digital Editor for ClickOnDetroit and has been with Local 4 News since April 2013. Derick specializes in breaking news, crime and local sports.