There was at least one fatality reported in the state.
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The National Weather Service will be coming to Stearns County Tuesday to determine if the damage was a result of tornadic activity. It had a maximum wind speed of 115 miles per hour.
In Wisconsin, Bayfield County sheriff’s officials say an 84-year-old IL man died Tuesday when his vehicle became submerged in a flooded ditch. The Michigan Emergency Operations Center was activated to provide assistance to those affected by the storms. Electricity was out Monday evening in Watkins and northwestern Litchfield.
“I’m numb. I’m numb”.
“I’m numb. I’m numb”.
Meeker County Sheriff Brian Cruze says a tornado struck the northwest side of Litchfield late Monday afternoon.
Litchfield Mayor Keith Johnson said it was the worst storm in the 52 years he has lived in the town.
In Michigan’s western Upper Peninsula, authorities say a tornado struck during an overnight storm that downed trees and caused power outages and flooding.
Diane Kelbing tells KARE-TV she and her husband heard the tornado warning siren, left their home and raced to their mobile home park shelter.
“It was kind of calm outside and the sirens went off and the trees started whipping all around and we went inside”, said John Jacklitch a Litchfield resident to local news. The deputy was able to get out of the vehicle and clung to a tree for more than two hours before he was rescued, authorities said. Approximately 50 residents of the assisted living community Hilltop Healthcare Center were relocated when the roof of the center was damaged. Other road closures in northern Wisconsin include portions of Highways 137, 63, 22, 169, 27 and 77. Outside the city limits, she said parts of State Highway 47 are underwater, as well as a handful of county roads. The release didn’t offer any other details but said as of midmorning 20 people had been rescued and rescue efforts were still underway.
Michigan Island is part of the Apostle Island chain off Iron County.
Aitkin received about 8 inches of rain. Flash flood warnings were in place until early Tuesday.
The Kanabec County Sheriff’s Office issued a no wake zone alert for county lakes due to the extremely high water levels. Sections of U.S. Highway 2 and state Highway 13 south of Highbridge were closed Tuesday.
The National Weather Service said more flooding was likely in northern Wisconsin, where rivers and creeks will continue to rise over the next two days. Areas around Danbury to Minong, Hayward, Ashland and Hurley are expected to experience the most significant flooding.
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“Do not drive into areas where water covers the road under any circumstances”, the weather service said.
