Disasters

Tornado-ravaged Hugo continues to dig out
Hugo continues to dig out from tornado devastation, with the help of hundreds of volunteers.
Reporter's Notebook: The Hugo tornado
Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Weber considers his week of covering the tragic tornado in Hugo, in this slideshow on MPR's News Cut blog.
Hugo woman dies while cleaning up tornado debris
Authorities say a Hugo woman whose house was damaged in Sunday's tornado has died of an apparent heart attack.
Gov. says special session for tornado relief unlikely
Gov. Tim Pawlenty said Hugo appears to be in good position to pay for cleanup costs itself and will probably seek reimbursement from the state next session. He said the city appears to be ineligible for federal assistance through FEMA or the Small Business Administration.
Tornado likely to leave psychological scars
Counselors say some tornado victims are already dealing with their emotions, but they predict for many others it will be months before they show signs of psychological stress.
Emergency officials explain use of sirens before Hugo tornado
Warning sirens did go off in Hugo before Sunday's tornado, but at a community meeting last night, some residents expressed concern that the sirens went off just before the tornado hit. When the sirens went silent, residents said they thought they were in the clear, which was certainly not the case. Deb Paige, Washington County's emergency manager, explains how the sirens were used on Sunday.
One family begins the process of cleaning up
Hugo residents who lost their homes to Sunday's tornado are beginning to ponder what's next. They spent much of yesterday sifting through the contents of their lives.
Understanding the economics of tornadoes
Experts say they are not necessarily surprised that the damage from the Hugo tornado was so extensive in a relatively new neighborhood like Creekwood Preserve. They say homes built today are more vulnerable to bad weather now than they were generations ago.
Returning to normal
Many residents of Hugo whose homes are still standing and have electricity after Sunday's tornado have moved back home.