'Our city will never look the same': Beltrami County declares emergency after devastating storm

'Our city will never look the same': Beltrami County declares emergency after devastating storm originally appeared on Bring Me The News.

Beltrami County officials have declared a state of emergency following the ferocious winds and possible tornadoes that ripped through the area early Saturday morning.

The declaration allows for an expedited disaster response as Bemidji and neighboring communities clean up and recover from the damage. Residents in the county were blasted by hurricane-force winds — including a 106 mph gust at the Bemidji Airport — in the middle of the night. Sunrise revealed thousands of downed trees and power lines, along with structural damage to homes and buildings. No injuries were reported.

“While I am happy no one was hurt, I’m sad our city will never look the same," said Christopher Muller, director of Beltrami County Emergency Management.

"As of Saturday evening, several thousand customers remain without power. Due to incredible damage to infrastructure, it may take several days for restoration for all those affected. Crews have called in mutual aid from other companies to assist in recovery efforts," county officials said.

The American Red Cross has opened a shelter in Bemidji at the Sanford Center, which was already assisting more than 60 people as of Saturday evening.

The National Weather Service in Grand Forks hasn't yet determined if tornadoes caused damage in Beltrami County, but damage assessments conducted in Enderlin, North Dakota — where three people were killed — confirmed a large, violent tornado with an estimated EF-3+ intensity.

The EF-scale classifies tornadoes by estimated wind speeds and damage indicators.

• EF-0: 65-85 mph, minor damage

• EF-1: 86-110 mph, moderate damage

• EF-2: 111-135 mph, significant damage

• EF-3: 136-165 mph, severe damage

• EF-4: 166-200 mph, devastating damage

• EF-5: 200+ mph, incredible damage

"Tough times like this can shine a light on how much good we have in our community, and how fortunate we are to have people come from other communities and agencies to help us get through this challenging time," said Craig Gaasvig, Beltrami County board chair.

This story was originally reported by Bring Me The News on Jun 22, 2025, where it first appeared.