1. TORNADO STRIKES DEXTER, MICHIGAN Thursday, March 15, 2012 Walter Hays, Global Alliance for Disaster Reduction, University of North Carolina, USA

2. MICHIGAN: NOT PART OF USA’S “TORNADO ALLEY”

3. The slow-moving storm, which stayed on the ground for 30 minutes, brought hail, rain, and high winds reaching 225 kph (135 mph) along its 16 km (10 mile) path

4. WIND PENETRATING BUILDING ENVELOPE TORNADOES UPLIFT OF ROOF SYSTEM FLYING DEBRIS RAIN AND HAIL IRREGULARITIES IN BUIOLDING ELEVATIONS NO ADVANCE WARNING NO PLACE TO EVACUATE CAUSES OF DAMAGE “A SEASONAL DISASTER LABORATORY”

5. INITIAL REPORTS No deaths Localized wind and hail damage, with more than 100 homes destroyed Power outages and fires Hail damage and local flooding

6. TORNADO FUNNEL (CENTER) IN DEXTER, MICHIGAN: MARCH 15, 2012

7. AERIAL VIEW OF DAMAGE: DEXTER, MICHIGAN: MARCH 15, 2012

8. OVERTURNED CAR IN DEXTER, MICHIGAN: MARCH 15, 2012

9. WIND DAMAGE TO HOUSES IN DEXTER, MICHIGAN: MARCH 15, 2012

16. DEBRIS OF ALL KINDS: DEXTER, MICHIGAN: MARCH 15, 2012

17. THE EMERGENCY RESPONSE PROCESS BEGINS Realistic Protection Measures Can Be Included During The Subsequent Recovery Process

18. MARCH 16: STARTS WITH POWER RESTORATION;TREE AND DEBRIS REMOVAL

19. FUTURE RECONSTRUCTION: WIND ENGINEERING: SEVERE WINDSTORMS CAN NOT BE PREVENTED, BUT BUILDING CODES CAN PREVENT LOSS OF ROOF SYSTEMS SEVERE WINDSTORMS CAN NOT BE PREVENTED, BUT BUILDING CODES CAN PREVENT LOSS OF ROOF SYSTEMS

20. FUTURE RECONSTRUCTION: WIND ENGINEERING ACTIONS TO KEEP THE WIND AND RAIN OUT OF THE HOUSE CAN BE TAKEN IN ADVANCE OF THE NEXT TORNADO TO PREVENT LOSS.