Power outages, downed trees around the region

By Robert Williams

Editor

Blue Valley Campground on Eagle Lake was one of the most noticeable areas that received damage immediately following a fast-moving storm that included straight line winds approaching 60-70 miles per hour on the afternoon of Wednesday, July 31.

Two campers sustained damage at the campground but no injuries were reported. The two campers were parked next to each other and were tipped on their sides with at least 40 other RVs nearby that managed to survive the storm and remain upright.

A large storage shed at the campground took the brunt of the wind, sending many large portions of the shed across Highway 10 with pieces landing in a 200-foot spread that included one large piece of metal coming to rest on the Heartland Trail overpass bridge at the intersection of Highway 10 and County Road 10.

Morningside on the Lake sustained damage and crews were onsite removing downed trees after the storm passed.

Six miles away, Spanky’s Stone Hearth in Vergas was forced to close for the evening after a power outage. 

According to reports from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, a personal weather station near Vergas reported a 73 miles per hour wind gust.

The storm caused damage to several Detroit Lakes businesses on Highway 10 with both the Budget Host Inn and Sandbar II suffering serious roof damage.

A railway crossing arm was snapped in two at the intersection of Highway 10 and Washington Avenue in downtown Detroit Lakes.

Reports of power outages from around the region were posted to social media stretching from Lake Park to Perham along the Highway 10 corridor.

The storm passed through the area beginning approximately around 1 p.m.

Power outages and uprooted trees were reported around Cotton Lake and near Four Corners.

Jay’s Garden Boutique near the Highway 34 and County Road 29 intersection reported they will be closed for the foreseeable future cleaning up from trees that fell onto the shop.