North Dakota tornado, Minnesota derecho wreak havoc in Bemidji and Enderlin, leaving thousands without power: See photos

A powerful derecho swept through and through North Dakota and western Minnesota late Friday into early Saturday, bringing tornadoes and wind gusts topping 100 mph. The storm left at least three people dead, caused widespread destruction, and knocked out power to tens of thousands across both states.

In Enderlin, North Dakota, a tornado killed two men and a woman late Friday night, according to the Cass County Sheriff's Office. “Officials confirmed three people are dead after severe weather swept through a rural town in North Dakota. Cass County Sheriff Jesse Jahner said at a press conference Saturday that two men and a woman were killed at two separate locations in the town of Enderlin late Friday. Enderlin is a town about 57 miles (92 kilometers) southwest of Fargo,” AP reported.

Emergency crews were called to a home around 11:40 p.m. Where two people were found dead. A third victim was discovered by firefighters at a separate site. Another tornado was spotted near Eckelson and Urbana, causing additional damage.

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The storm's high winds caused severe damage across a wide area. A private weather station in Luverne, North Dakota recorded a wind gust of 111 mph early Saturday. In Jamestown, gusts of 80–90 mph lasted over an hour. Bemidji, Minnesota, saw a 106 mph gust and widespread destruction, with emergency managers reporting downed trees, damaged buildings, blocked roads, and people trapped in vehicles.

“There is extensive damage around the Bemidji area and much of southern Beltrami County,” emergency managers wrote on Facebook. “Please do not travel unless it is an emergency. Many roads are blocked and there are a ton of power lines down. Unfortunately there is significant structure damage as well. We are responding to many gas leaks.”

The aftermath of tornado was shared on X, that shows widespread destruction it has caused. One of the user shared the images on X and wrote, “All hallmarks of a violent tornado near Sheldon/Enderlin, North Dakota last night. This is the property where two people sadly passed away. Trees debarked, house swept away with very little large debris left in the vicinity.”

Flash flooding hit downtown Bemidji, stalling vehicles and leaving streets impassable. “Additional damage was reported in southeastern Beltrami County with thousands of trees blocking roadways,” said Christopher Muller of Beltrami County Emergency Management, as Fox weather report.

While no injuries have been reported in the county, Muller said, “Residents should plan for long-term power outages as significant infrastructure damage has occurred.”

Power outages were widespread. Montana Dakota Utilities reported over 6,000 outages, with another 500 from Capital Electric. FindEnergy.com estimated more than 57,000 customers were without power in Minnesota at the peak, and 30,000 in North Dakota. As of Saturday morning, over 80% of Beltrami County remained without electricity.

Authorities continue to assess the damage as cleanup efforts begin.

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