Strong winds and a tornado caused extensive damage in parts of the Midwest, where officials said another week-long round of extreme weather events with storms left at least three people dead.
In Minnesota, a grain container fell on a car Thursday, killing a passenger near Blomkest, the Kandiyohi County Sheriff’s Department said. One person died Thursday in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, as a result of extreme weather, Mayor Paul TenHaken said, without elaborating.
Days earlier, storms brought destructive winds, heavy rain and a few reports of tornadoes in Minnesota, where a Mexico City storm-chasing meteorologist died in a car accident Wednesday, underscoring the dangers of chasing extreme weather events.
Also in South Dakota, Minnehaha County Sheriff Mike Milstead said Wendy Lape, 61, was driving home to Wentworth with her husband in a vehicle around 5 p.m. Thursday when winds blew up. in a straight line.
“The wall of dust, dirt and debris hit them. They slowed down to probably less than 5 miles per hour (8 km/h) because of virtually zero visibility from flying debris, and a piece of wood went through their car window,” Milstead said at a briefing from the Friday in Sioux Falls.
Lape died Friday morning from his injuries, officials said.
By Friday, more storms were forecast from the northern Great Lakes to the southern Great Plains, which could bring damaging winds and hail.
On Thursday, wind gusts had speeds greater than 100 miles per hour (161 kilometers per hour) in parts of South Dakota, the National Weather Service reported. Due to storm damage, Sioux Falls police advised that people only move for emergency reasons.
On Thursday, a nursing home in Salem, South Dakota, suffered extensive damage when part of the roof collapsed. Residents of the Avantara shelter were evacuated, emergency management officials said.
Thousands of people lost power due to the storm, including the campus of South Dakota State University in Brookings. On Friday, only essential personnel were allowed on campus.
On Thursday night, South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem visited the Hamlin County town of Castlewood, where a possible tornado stripped a school of its roof and knocked down walls.
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