At least three people were killed in a small North Dakota town as tornadoes ripped through the state.
All three victims lived in Enderlin, a town of 800 residents about 40 miles southwest of Fargo, according to the Cass County sheriff’s office. They have been publicly identified only as two men and a woman.
“Our hearts and sympathies go out to the family and friends of the three North Dakotans who tragically lost their lives in Friday’s tornado, and to the close-knit community in Enderlin, which suffered widespread damage,” Republican Gov. Kelly Armstrong said Saturday while declaring a state of emergency.
The first tornadoes touched down late Friday night, and the storm continued overnight into Saturday morning, officials said. At least two twisters were confirmed in the region, but the National Weather Service said it would take a few days to determine the full extent of the storm.
“We still have people out investigating and gathering information on what happened,” NWS Grand Forks forecaster Timothy Lynch said. “It was a pretty major event.”
The system also impacted areas across northern Minnesota and Wisconsin, with 106 mph winds whipping through Bemidji, Minn., about 100 miles northeast of Fargo.
“I cannot ever recall hearing a rushing wind like that!” Bemidji Mayor Jorge Prince wrote on Facebook. “Emerged from our basement to find our neighborhood with lots of trees down and several homes with severe damage.”
With News Wire Services
