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Rochester residents cleaning up after tornado
Residents in the Rochester area are cleaning up in the aftermath of a tornado. FOX 9's Leon Purvis has more.
OLMSTED COUNTY, Minn. (FOX 9) - Neighbors are picking up the pieces after a powerful tornado tore through part of Olmsted County, leaving widespread damage and a community leaning on each other.
Cleanup begins after tornado devastates neighborhood
What we know:
The National Weather Service (NWS) confirmed an EF-2 tornado touched down near Stewartville, damaging at least 50 homes in Olmsted County. Some homes along Marion Road were left missing roofs or even entire walls, with debris scattered across the area.
Residents who live on Marion Road near Rochester described the terrifying moments as the storm hit. "My wife was in the living room, and I was in my bedroom, I heard a big crash," said Gary Dahley, who was home when the tornado struck. Dahley’s house now has a damaged roof and boarded-up windows. "Tornado had to hit because the windows gone and the deck's gone," said Dahley.
Neighbors wasted no time helping each other recover. "My husband and I got out right away and started helping our next-door neighbor just clean up her yard, so it wasn't so overwhelming for her," said Jennie Murphy.
Tree limbs are stacked high and dumpsters are filled with debris as people go yard to yard, offering support and assistance.
Personal stories of loss and resilience
Why you should care:
The tornado not only caused property damage, but also scattered decades of memories for families in the area. Isabella Sanchez, who was at work when the tornado hit, said, "We were actually fortunate. We only had the tree fall on the house and the windows come out, but the house is still up. Whereas other people have been less fortunate. They don't have roofs, they don't have walls, so all of their items are everywhere, and just trying to help them collect their things and make it easier for everybody."
For Sanchez’s family, the damage goes beyond the physical. "My father was a single father growing up. He's, this is his whole life. He worked everything for the house. So to see 20 years of life kind of just everywhere. It's, it's, it sucks," said Sanchez.
Despite the destruction, the community spirit is strong as residents help one another recover from the storm.
By the numbers:
NWS says the tornado was on the ground for about 14 minutes and traveled almost 10 miles. In that short time, dozens of homes were damaged, but officials say no injuries have been reported.
What we don't know:
Officials have not yet provided a full estimate of the total damage or a timeline for when repairs and cleanup will be complete.