A series of tornadoes swept across the Midwest overnight as a large storm system moved from the Great Lakes toward Texas, leaving communities across the Central Plains and upper Midwest beginning cleanup and recovery.
At least one twister struck Rochester, Minnesota, damaging roofs and tearing apart homes. Reporter Jonah Kaplan described severe destruction, including a house reduced to its front facade and a large tree uprooted as if it had been toppled like a bowling pin. Neighbors said the tornado sounded like a freight train. David Vetch told reporters he watched a funnel approach his 89-year-old father’s home; although the house suffered heavy damage, his father was not injured.
Hundreds of miles away in Lena, Illinois, a tornado caused extensive damage and knocked out power, though officials reported no deaths or serious injuries there. A tornado in suburban Kansas City also destroyed houses and cut electricity to parts of the area.
The outbreak followed several days of severe weather across the nation’s midsection. The Storm Prediction Center and local officials logged more than 800 damaging-storm reports over the period, including dozens of tornadoes and widespread flooding. About 51 million people were under severe-weather advisories on Friday.
The system also produced deadly lightning: Wisconsin authorities reported a 41-year-old man killed by a lightning strike, the first lightning-related death in the U.S. this year.
Emergency crews and neighbors have begun search, rescue and cleanup operations. Meteorologists and officials urged the public to treat warnings seriously: even after a tornado passes, flying debris and flooding remain dangerous, and people should take shelter immediately when alerts are issued.