ENDERLIN, North Dakota (AP) — Powerful winds swept across the upper Midwest, causing damage to an airport in Minnesota and three deaths in North Dakota.
Cass County Sheriff Jesse Jahner said at a press conference Saturday that two men and a woman were killed at two separate locations in the town of Enderlin, North Dakota, late Friday. Enderlin is about 57 miles (92 kilometers) southwest of Fargo.
About 24,000 customers were without power in North Dakota.
Heavy winds also swept across localized areas of Minnesota. The National Weather Service in Grand Forks reported wind gusts of up to 106 mph (171 kph) at Bemidji Regional Airport overnight. An emergency manager there reported extensive damage from falling trees and cars with people trapped inside.
Beltrami County Emergency Management said the damage to the Bemidji area is “extensive” and that scores of power lines were down.
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“Please do not travel unless it is an emergency. Many roads are blocked and there are a ton of power lines down. Unfortunately there is significant structure damage as well. We are responding to many gas leaks,” the agency said in a Facebook post early Saturday.
Nearly 34,000 customers in Minnesota were without power, according to poweroutage.us.