Storms knock out power, trees

Updated: 7:50 p.m. | Posted: 7:13 a.m

Severe storms knocked down trees, caused minor flooding and knocked out power across a wide swath of Minnesota Sunday night.

Minnesota Power was reporting more than 6,000 customers without power early this morning, many in the Brainerd area and more around Nisswa.

Xcel Energy reported more than 5,200 without power before dawn across the central part of the state.

The National Weather Service reported winds as high as 81 mph near Little Falls and winds nearing 70 mph near Sauk Centre.

The National Weather Service said Monday at least four tornadoes may have moved through Grant, Wilkin and Otter Tail counties late Sunday.

About 140 young campers were safe after strong storms left a trail of damage near Brainerd. The campers, ages 9-12, and staff took shelter in their dorms when the storms blew through Sunday evening, according to Legionville Camp president Wayne Gilbertson.

The camp, operated by the American Legion, looked like a "war zone" with 50 to 70 trees down along with numerous power poles and lines, Gilbertson said. A tree also went through the roof of the camp's education building.

The camp can't operate without power, so the youngsters were being sent home Monday, he said.

"The counselor and camp manager called all the parents and told them to come and pick up their kids," Gilbertson said. The camp was previously scheduled to end Friday. The storm sent canoes and kayaks flying into the woods and twisted the dock on North Long Lake, he said.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers evacuated campers from the Gull Lake Dam and Recreation Site near Brainerd and closed it indefinitely. The corps said hundreds of trees had fallen in and around the campground.

The storms damaged the stands at Brainerd International Raceway and left a section in a pile of twisted metal.

The raceway closed Monday to clean up the damage, according to owner Kristi Copham, who said many people volunteered to help get the track ready for races again.

Owner Jed Copham said the storm hit hours after the last race.

"It was an ugly green sky, definitely moving quick. We've had a lot of storms come through here in the past, I've never seen anything quite like this one," he said.

Cragun's Resort on Gull Lake also closed in the wake of the storms, cutting trips short or canceling plans for many patrons.

Utility crews worked to restore service to about 12,000 customers of Xcel Energy and Minnesota Power who lost power as storms moved east from western Minnesota, through the Brainerd area and into the Twin Cities.

Lightning also sparked scattered fires, and the Chisago County sheriff reported homes struck in Lindstrom, Wyoming and North Branch.

There were also reports of trees down, damage to roofs and a few minor injuries in Crow Wing County, said emergency management director John Bowen.

Winds in the Crow Wing County may have exceeded 70 miles per hour, Bowen said.

"Be very careful because there are a lot of power lines down, don't drive over them," Bowen said. "A lot of roads, if they do have trees across them, our highway department and the street departments are out with the power companies clearing those roads to get them open as fast as they can."

Firefighters and Crow Wing County sheriff's deputies were out on Monday morning checking on the welfare of elderly and other vulnerable residents.

As much as three and a half inches of rain was reported outside of Alexandria Monday morning.

MPR News' Riham Feshir and The Associated Press contributed to this report.