Tornadoes touch down across Minnesota; no major injuries reported

A tornado struck the northwest side of Litchfield late Monday afternoon, Meeker County Sheriff Brian Cruze said.

Even though it is mid-July, severe weather is still possible across the country. A KARE 11 viewer captured the tornado touching down in Litchfield and Watkins.

“We heard the siren and we knew we had to move so we took off”, said Diane Kelbing.

In Litchfield, about 70 miles west of Minneapolis, Mayor Keith Johnson said there was serious damage, but that no one was injured.

Audrey Schoenberg left for a nearby restaurant.

“I’m numb. I’m numb”.

The Red Cross said Monday night it was helping about 50 residents of a nursing home/assisted living complex in Watkins with safe, secure housing and clothing.

Police are keeping people from entering Watkins because of the damage. One person suffered a minor injury.

The hardest hit areas were in Watkins and just northwest of Litchfield when storms rolled through Meeker and Stearns counties between 5 and 7 p.m.

The sheriff says three tornadoes were spotted by law enforcement in Meeker County. Areas around Danbury to Minong, Hayward, Ashland and Hurley are expected to experience the most significant flooding. The Crow Wing County Sheriff’s Office is advising no travel throughout the county due to a “life threatening” flooding situation.

Flash flood warnings have also been issued for much of central Minnesota. The National Weather Service reported 11 inches of rain fell in the east-central Minnesota city of Sturgeon Lake. Meanwhile, in Sherburne County the warning stopped around 9:15 p.m. The river reaches major flood stage at 18 feet and, at that level, will inundate the Aitkin sewage plant.

According to the National Weather Service, winds hit 91 mph around 1:35 a.m. Monday morning about 2 miles west of Lake Park, while a peak wind gust near Rothsay, Minn., hit 94 mph around the same time.