Only two weeks after the derecho that swept through the southeastern part of the state, South Dakotans faced another storm.
A line of thunderstorms blew through the same area May 30. They also extended into parts of Iowa and Minnesota. While these storms were not as severe as those on May 12, Minnehaha County received the brunt of the damage with high winds, heavy rain and hail.
Doug Blomker, assistant director of Minnehaha County Emergency Management, says most reports to his department include downed trees and damaged vehicles.
A storage shed received heavy damage in Brandon. The Beaver Valley Lutheran Church near Valley Springs also lost its roof to the storm.
The National Weather Service confirmed a tornado in the same area east of Brandon. Two other tornadoes were spotted near Lester in northwestern Iowa and Adrian in southwestern Minnesota.
Some rural homes in the Garretson area were also hit by the storm. Blomker says no injuries have been reported to his department yet.
Blomker says the back-to-back severe weather has left emergency management busier than normal.
“It’s been kind of nonstop,” he said.
County departments are also still surveying damage to public property from the May 12 storm.
Blomker advises those with damage to their property to contact their insurance agencies or power and gas companies if needed. He also says to use “common sense” around broken power lines, downed trees and any damage within the home.
