Sioux Falls, SD (KELO Radio) — Sioux Falls received “significant damage” last night after as a result of 100 miles per hour winds and at least one tornado.
During an early morning briefing, Mayor Paul TenHaken said significant damage occurred at Avera Behavioral Health and at the 41st and Western area.
TenHaken said Sioux Falls is a very resilient city. He said there were no deaths, and as far as they knew so far, no serious injuries.
An Emergency Declaration will be drafted by the city to begin the bidding process after the storm.
Chief Meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Sioux Falls Todd Heitkamp said during a 5 am briefing some of the damage was intense.
He called it his feared “nightmarish scenario” of a tornado or strong winds hitting south Sioux Falls after dark.
Heitkamp says he would be driving around the city beginning his assessment.
Early this morning Brett Wulf, general manager of the Advanced Auto Parts store on 41st Street near the Western Mall, said no one was in his store when the storm came through. The building is still standing but the east and north walls were ripped away.
He said there was also a gas leak nearby.
At the Avera Heart Hospital off I-229 and 69th Street, the front doors were wide open and people were cleaning the lobby.
About a block to the west of the Heart Hospital on 69th Street, a pile of twisted metal and other debris covered the road. The parking lot also had metal debris, likely from the roof, as well as downed trees and branches.
There were downed limbs on south Minnesota Avenue between 41st and 57th Streets. The neighborhood north of the Western Mall and southwest of Augustana University had many downed trees and limbs in the street.
At Best Buy at the Western Mall, the storm blew over one of their delivery trucks.
Power outages were widespread in the city.
Thanks to our News Partner, KELO Radio for this coverage.
Click here for a drone video from the City of Sioux Falls showing major damage.
Photo caption: Debris from the Avera Heart Hospital covers part of 69th Street, 9/11/19. KELO.com News photo by Todd Epp.
