Storm rips through Beltrami County, causing widespread damage

BEMIDJI -- A fast-moving thunderstorm ripped through the Bemidji area early Thursday morning, knocking out power for more than 10,000 people and uprooting trees and power poles and causing widespread damage.

The storm hit about 1 a.m. Thursday, and the National Weather Service's warning forecast winds of up to 80 miles per hour for southern Beltrami County, according to the county's Emergency Management department. Outdoor warning sirens were activated and a CodeRED Emergency Notification was issued just after 1 a.m., the department said.

According to Beltrami County Emergency Manager Christopher Muller, a severe thunderstorm producing wind speeds of more than 70 miles per hour is one of three weather events that will activate local sirens. The others are tornado warnings from the weather service and tornado sightings from trained spotters or law enforcement.

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