CLARA CITY -- Winds up to 80 mph Thursday morning pushed over an empty elevator bin in Clara City, destroyed a 130,000-square-foot building under construction at the Murdock elevator and damaged the Plaza Theatre building in Montevideo.
Power outages were widespread in the region, and downed trees blocked city streets and damaged structures in a number of communities.
Clara City, Montevideo and Madison took the brunt of the storm, which raced through the area just before 7 a.m.
At the Clara City Farmer's Elevator, winds slammed and flattened a grain bin, catwalk and conveyor onto Minnesota Trunk Highway 23, forcing traffic to be detoured. The highway was reopened at 4:30 p.m.
The bin also fell over a main feeder line owned by Xcel Energy, knocking out power to the town's 1,300 residents.
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As of press time last night, it was still unclear when power would be restored. Xcel Energy crews were working to repair the downed line, said City Administrator Sara Folsted.
The storm hit with such fury that employees at the elevator didn't hear the bin as it collapsed, according to Rich Leiseth, elevator manager.
"A steady roar,'' said Clara City resident Harlan Broers, regarding the winds as he and his wife took shelter in their basement.
"I could hear trees snapping and cracking,'' said Frank Chapman, who led his wife and children to the basement of their First Street Southwest home. "Then it was boom, boom. Pretty loud,'' he said.
Roger Knapper, public works director, said he heard reports ranging from a tree falling on a parked vehicle to tree limbs crashing into windows and awnings. A plastic sheeted greenhouse was ripped apart downtown, and a light pole was also knocked down.
In Montevideo, the winds struck hardest in the central portion of the community, but damage was widespread, according to Marv Garbe, emergency management director for Chippewa County. He reported that the winds caused significant damage to the Plaza Theatre in the Southtown Plaza and toppled a portion of the city garage. Shingles were also ripped from the roof of the middle school.
Whole trees were uprooted and broken limbs clipped power lines, cutting power to the community.
In Lac qui Parle County, the winds destroyed Karels Auto Body Shop in Bellingham, bent the flag pole at the county courthouse and shattered windows on its upper steeple in Madison, while also destroying the flag pole on the Armory in Madison. Trees and limbs throughout Madison were toppled. One smashed the Lou T. Fisk mascot at the city's entrance.
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"Unbelievable,'' said Matt Skaret, Madison city manager, of the mess left in the storm's wake. He said trees blocked streets and many fell on houses and garages. He said lightning, hail and heavy downpours began around 5:45 a.m.
The Lac qui Parle County Sheriff's Office reported there was also significant damage in rural areas of the county, with numerous reports of damaged and destroyed buildings and hail- and wind-damaged crops.
Electrical outages affected nearly the entire county. It wasn't until 1:31 p.m. that power could be restored to areas of Madison.
It was a similar mess in Appleton, where volunteer firefighters helped open streets blocked by fallen trees and power lines. Fire Chief Kevin Wilkening said there were "lots and lots of trees'' down, with some of them striking houses.
The Yellow Medicine County Sheriff's Office reported that Granite Falls, Clarkfield and Hazel Run all experienced significant problems with downed power lines and trees.
Renville County Sheriff Jerry Agre said that communities along U.S. Highway 212 including Olivia, Danube and Renville all suffered damage from downed trees. In Olivia, the winds tore about a corn crib holding aluminum cans for recycling.
