A trail of damaged homes and buildings stretched across a wide area of the US upper Midwest on Saturday after a burst of destructive winds and reported tornadoes tore off roofs, uprooted trees and blocked rural roads with debris. Officials said no deaths had been reported after Friday's storms, which battered the region, and they braced residents for a long recovery in some rural communities.
“We are extremely fortunate that this storm did not result in loss of life or serious injury,” said Sheriff Steve Stovall of the storm that hit Lena, Illinois. Similar sentiments were echoed by officials in Wisconsin and Minnesota. In the town of Lena, 14-year-old Leo Zach described being in a high school band room when the building shook and the power went out; later, students found blown-out windows and part of the school's roof torn off.
In central Wisconsin, a reported tornado tore through the cities of Kronenwetter and Ringle, leaving damaged homes and some residents briefly trapped in their basements, according to local fire chief Chris Kielman. Marathon County Sheriff Chad Billeb said he had not seen such devastation in his 34 years in law enforcement. “A lot of people are going to need a lot of help,” Billeb said.
In Olmsted County, Minnesota, sheriff's officials said tornadoes caused “multiple levels” of damage, with at least 30 homes damaged in Marion Township, many significantly. Officials went door to door to check on residents. The National Weather Service said surveys would be conducted over the weekend to confirm tornado activity.
Neighbours in Kronenwetter helped each other clear debris, and utility crews worked to restore power. The Community Foundation of North Central Wisconsin partnered with Marathon County's United Way to assist those with damaged homes. Rachel Nemon in Lena described pulling into a car wash to take cover and watching a large tree ripped from the ground, adding, “This is something that you see online, not in real life, especially in a small town in Illinois.”
