Extreme thunderstorms and a potential twister broken at the least half of Forada, Minnesota, a metropolis 70 miles southeast of St. Cloud, on Monday, a county official mentioned.
A suspected twister touched down close to the western Minnesota metropolis, bringing torrential rain and wind gusts that reached a suspected 80 miles per hour. Metropolis officers haven't reported any accidents or deaths.
It ripped aside houses and buildings in Douglas County, Minnesota, with Forada taking a direct hit.
"I've lived right here 35 years and it rips your coronary heart aside," Stephen VanLuik, Forada's hearth chief, informed WCCO-TV.
Vanluik estimates as much as 100 buildings and houses have been demolished on this metropolis of round 160 residents. First responders needed to clear by way of particles that blocked roads into the city earlier than they may go door to door and test on residents.
"I've by no means seen nothing like this. Not even in your wildest desires. I've seen on TV tornadoes which have hit different communities and also you at all times go 'By no means right here.' but it surely did," mentioned Vanluik.
Harmful wind gusts uprooted timber and snapped energy traces, leaving hundreds within the space with out electrical energy, based on PowerOutage.us.
One resident mentioned he heard "three booms" and noticed sparks on a powerline throughout the storms.
The storms stretched into Sioux Falls, South Dakota, the place winds barreled by way of tearing the roofs off houses and sending timber into automobiles.
"Glad no one is damage, glad it is solely this harm. Automobiles are replaceable, lives aren't," Sioux Falls resident Lisa Brunick mentioned.