Major damage in Minnesota towns after tornadoes, severe wind
Damage reports are starting to come in after a line of severe storms brought high straight-line winds and tornadoes to Minnesota.
Wind gusts of up to 90 mph have been reported in parts of the state, and there has also been visual confirmation of twisters in the area around Alexandria in west-central Minnesota.
Among the places getting hit hard include in the towns of Forada and Maple Lake, south of Alexandria in Douglas County; Eagle Bend, in Todd County; and Plato, in eastern McLeod County.
There is also damage in the area of Appleton, in Swift County, where a tornado was reported by witnesses.
Here's a look at some of the damage caused in Eagle Bend.
The Todd County Sheriff's Office posted on Monday evening that people should stay away from Eagle Bend for the remainder of the evening as it seeks to assess the damage.
"There are power lines down and many roads are impassable," it says.
The same situation has been unfolding in Forada, where Alexandria PD has said many roads in and out of the town are blocked by downed trees and live power lines.
More storm reports are expected to come in as the system exits Minnesota. According to Poweroutage.us, there are just short of 75,000 homes without power across the state as of 7:50 p.m.
Here's a running look at some of the damage being reported across the state.
BMTN Note: Weather events in isolation can't always be pinned on climate change, but the broader trend of increasingly severe weather and record-breaking extremes seen in Minnesota and across the globe can be attributed directly to the rapidly warming climate caused by human activity. The IPCC has warned that Earth is "firmly on track toward an unlivable world," and says greenhouse gas emissions must be halved by 2030 in order to limit warming to 1.5C, which would prevent the most catastrophic effects on humankind. You can read more here.
