Beltrami County Declares State of Emergency After Severe Storms

A building on Minnkota Avenue in Bemidji with its roof torn off from storm damage suffered early Saturday morning. (Credit: Tony Morris)

Update: Shortly after this story was published, the City of Bemidji declared a local emergency following the severe storms in Bemidji.

Beltrami County has declared a state of emergency following the storms swept through the area early Saturday morning.

In the state of emergency, County Board Chair Craig Gaasvig said the declaration was due to “the severe storms, damaging winds, and likely tornadoes that wreaked havoc” on June 21st. He added that “[w]e are blessed in the fact that we have not heard of anyone injured or any loss of life” due to the storm and wished to thank all agencies who are assisting with mutual aid.

A separate release from Beltrami County Emergency Management Director Christopher Muller says that as of Saturday evening, several thousand customers remain without power and that it may take several days for power to be restored to everyone due to incredible damage to infrastructure.

For those who are displaced or are in need of services, the Red Cross Emergency Shelter remains open at the Sanford Center in Bemidji. In addition, an emergency food drop is planned for those affected by the storm on Sunday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

The county says the demolition landfill has extended hours on Sunday, June 22nd from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and Monday, June 23rd from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The Bemidji Fire Department said today on Facebook that curbside tree debris pickup will start on Monday, June 24th, where city residents can bring leaves, branches and logs to the nearest city street for eventual pickup. No construction debris, stumps, or miscellaneous waste will be collected.