'Like a bomb exploded': On the ground after storms in southern MN

Survey crews from the National Weather Service office in the Twin Cities were in southern Minnesota Thursday to check reports of tornado touchdowns in the area the night before. As of early Thursday afternoon, they had confirmed there was a tornado in Lewiston, Minn.

The area was under tornado warnings Wednesday night as a powerful line of storms whipped across that part of the state. There had never before been a recorded instance of a tornado touchdown in Minnesota in December.

One of the hardest-hit areas was the small town of Hartland in Freeborn County. We sent photographer Tim Evans there to view the impact. He traced a line of major damage near Hartland’s historic main street for host Cathy Wurzer.

“It looks like a bomb exploded. I mean, it’s extreme destruction,” Evans said.

Find Evans’s photos for MPR News here. That story will be updated throughout Thursday.

Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.

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