2 tornadoes touched down near Dalton, strongest ‘potentially greater’ than EF-3
Storm chaser’s close-up video of deadly tornado near Dalton and Ashby, Minnesota
The long-lived tornado in this video tracked through fields near Dalton and Ashby, Minnesota. I followed the tornado from the moment it touched down until it roped out. My chase partner and I called in reports to the National Weather Service when the first funnel formed. Credit: Melanie Metz via Storyful
DALTON, Minn,. (FOX 9) - Not one, but two tornadoes touched down near Dalton, Minnesota Wednesday night, leaving behind a deadly path of destruction, according to the Otter Tail County Sheriff's Office. The strongest tornado was "potentially greater than EF-3," according to a preliminary assessment by the National Weather Service survey crew.
According to an update released Thursday afternoon by the sheriff's office, the first tornado was reported at 5:08 p.m. six miles south of Dalton. A second tornado was reported at 5:11 p.m. six miles south of Dalton and a half mile away from Interstate 94.
The two tornadoes left behind a path of damage of about 6 to 9 miles.
Responders discovered up to seven homes and farmstead buildings were damaged by the tornado. Seth Nelson, 30, of Battle Lake died due to the tornadoes. Crews took two Dalton-area residents with minor injuries to the hospital. They have since been released.
"I would like to thank all of the those that quickly responded to assist in the response," said Otter Tail County Sheriff Barry Fitzgibbons in a press release. "Multiple law enforcement, fire departments, emergency medical services and many other volunteers responded to the area and assisted with the search and rescue, ensuring those injured were quickly evacuated and transported."
NWS officials are working to complete formal damage assessments.
Later Wednesday evening, another tornado touched down near Garrison.