Severe Storms that ripped through the area on Thursday, caused major damage in several communities to the south, west and east of Hastings due to a least one confirmed tornado and a fast moving system dumping inches of heavy rain over a wide path. Widespread power outages were typical in an area that included Northfield, Cannon Falls, Red Wing, Welch, and several communities in Western Wisconsin. Emergency crews from Centerpoint Energy, Dakota Electric and XCel Energy advised customers to wait inside homes until daylight to avoid coming into contact with downed power lines. Localized flooding of several creeks and small rivers caused travel delays as well as the need for school closing Friday in Cannon Falls and a 2 hour late start in Northfield and Faribault. Clean up is expected to be extensive with hundreds of trees down in the wake of the storm. Residents are asked to report any emergency situations such as gas odors or other hazards resulting from the storm to local law enforcement.
Update 1AM Friday: The Police Department of Cannon Falls has instructed residents to stay indoors until daylight and to report any suspicious activity that may take place during the clean up process. Information will be distributed on their social media outlets and those having chainsaws to address tree cleanup will be asked to connect with them in volunteer efforts to clear neighborhoods that have seen significant damage. They also ask that vehicles stay out of the area to allow for cleanup in a safe and timely manner. Cannon Falls Police will have additional manpower to direct traffic and limit unnecessary movement until all power lines and other hazards can be contained.
