Storms blamed for 3 deaths in South Dakota, Minnesota
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — Strong winds and a tornado caused widespread damage in parts of the Midwest, where officials said another round of severe weather during a stormy week left three more people dead.
In Minnesota, a grain bin fell onto a car Thursday and killed a passenger near Blomkest, the Kandiyohi County Sheriff ’s Office said. And a person died Thursday in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, as a result of severe weather, Mayor Paul Tenhaken said, but details weren’t released.
Also in South Dakota, Minnehaha County Sheriff Mike Milstead said Wendy Lape, 61, was traveling home to Wentworth with her husband in a vehicle about 5 p.m. Thursday when straight line-winds struck.
“The wall of dust and dirt and debris hit them. They slowed down to probably under 5 miles per hour because of the almost zero visibility from the blowing debris and a chunk of wood came through the window of the car,” Milstead said Friday.
Lape died of her injuries Friday morning, officials said.
Earlier in the week, storms brought damaging winds, heavy rain and a few reports of tornadoes to Minnesota, where a storm-chasing meteorologist from Mexico City died Wednesday in a car crash — underscoring the dangers of pursuing severe weather. More storms were forecast for Friday from the Upper Great Lakes to the southern Great Plains that could bring damaging winds and hail.
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem issued an emergency declaration and ordered state personnel and resources to affected communities. Noem said damage reports were received from 28 counties.
“We have had many storms before, but the amount of communities that are impacted right now we just haven’t seen in our state before,” Noem said at the briefing.
The Department of Public Safety’s Office of Emergency Management has opened an Emergency Operations Center to coordinate the response with local government authorities.
Winds gusted Thursday above 100 mph in parts of South Dakota. National Weather Service meteorologist Todd Heitkamp, in Sioux Falls, said Friday that a tornado formed around Castlewood, but elsewhere the damage was caused by the strong wind.