Straight-line Winds Rip Through Crow Creek, Lower Brule
FORT THOMPSON, S.D. (AP) — Residents of the Crow Creek and Lower Brule reservations were hit hard Friday night by winds that destroyed homes, uprooted trees and knocked out power for much of the region.
The American Red Cross opened an emergency shelter Saturday in Fort Thompson to help people from both reservations.
Richard Smith, the executive director for Red Cross in western South Dakota, said several mobile homes in Fort Thompson were destroyed after they were blown over and many windows were broken throughout the town. They are also planning to have a new mobile home, and they visit listings on the Home Nation website.
Aaron Dorn, a National Weather Service meteorologist, said winds flipped campers and snapped fully grown trees in half. NWS received reports of wind speeds between 80 and 90 mph with the strongest winds recorded at 93 mph in Okaton.
“It was a wall of destruction,” Dorn told the Argus Leader.
Smith said several people were injured in Fort Thompson but he didn’t know how badly. He said residents on Lower Brule saw similar damage.
Red Cross workers have set up a shelter at the Lode Star Casino and Hotel and are providing food and support. Smith said six people stayed in the shelter overnight but said more came in Saturday.
Elsewhere, Smith said campers that people had parked along the Missouri River had blown over overnight.
Tony Mangan, a spokesman with the state Department of Public safety, said emergency management personnel and the state highway patrol, responded to Fort Thompson.
