MINNEAPOLIS — Overnight storms knocked out power for thousands in the Twin Cities metro and caused some chaos in the Wilmar area late Tuesday into Wednesday morning.
Xcel Energy reported more than 7,300 power outages in the Twin Cities area and more than 6,500 around Willmar as of 6 a.m. Wednesday due to powerful winds and heavy downpours.
Kandiyohi County Emergency Director Stephanie Fell said many trees and powerlines were downed, and that crews from the New London Fire Department and the county public works department are clearing roads. She adds that many homes are without power, and at least five buildings sustained significant structural damage. Other reports from the area include flipped pontoons and lifts, with the New London lakes area hit particularly hard.
KARE 11 Meteorologist Ben Dery says trees three and four feet in diameter were snapped in two, and several wind gusts of 80 mph were reported in the area.
The cities of Brooten and Belgrade also have moderate storm damage, according to the Stearns County Sheriff's Office. Damage assessments are underway.
This is the second stormy night in a row for the Twin Cities, as Monday night storms left about 20,000 residents without power, according to Xcel Energy. Homes in Hudson and North Hudson took the brunt of the storm damage, with a roof ripped off an apartment building and downed trees everywhere, some on top of homes.
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