Intense storms ravaged sections of North Dakota this week, causing widespread damage and power outages. On Wednesday night, a powerful storm tore through south-central North Dakota, demolishing a manufactured home near Selfridge. Brothers Arlin and Will Lund, residents of the home, recounted the harrowing experience to KFYR-TV. They described a sudden deluge of approximately three inches of rain within just 20 minutes, accompanied by fierce straight-line winds that ripped their home apart. The brothers were flung to opposite sides of the house by the force of the wind, and their barn was also obliterated.
"The refrigerator and wall gave way, then the floor collapsed," Arlin Lund recounted. "We ended up next to the car. I called out to my brother to check on him, and after a moment, he responded. Then the hail started. I tossed him a blanket and searched for cover as the hail was incredibly sharp. It felt like an eternity, but it was likely only seconds."
Across western and central North Dakota, gale-force winds and torrential rain wreaked havoc on Wednesday night, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake. Will Lund sustained minor injuries and was transported to a Bismarck hospital, while Arlin escaped unharmed. Despite the devastation, Arlin expressed gratitude for their survival. He shared his brother's words from the ambulance: "Well, at least we’re alive."
The storm's impact extended beyond Selfridge. Early Thursday morning, winds reaching up to 84 mph flipped campers in Gladstone, located in Stark County in western North Dakota. Roughrider Electric Cooperative reported significant damage to their infrastructure, with 30 power poles downed along U.S. Highway 85 south of Belfield and another 15 near Richardton. According to the Bismarck Tribune, approximately 50 customers of the cooperative were left without power.
Montana-Dakota Utilities also experienced storm-related outages early Thursday, affecting around 225 people in the Dickinson, Taylor, and Gladstone areas. Two of the outages were attributed to lightning strikes, while the third was caused by a broken power pole.
