Gov. Armstrong to visit areas hit by tornadoes, severe storms

FARGO (KVRR) – North Dakota Gov. Kelly Armstrong will visit the Enderlin, Page and Hunter areas on Wednesday to view the damage caused by last week’s severe summer storms.

Details of Armstrong’s visit are still being worked out and more details are expected to be released Tuesday afternoon.

A powerful tornado caused the deaths of three people in rural Enderlin. 73-year-old Michael Dehn, 73-year-old Katherine Pfaff-Dehn and 89-year-old Marcario Lucio.

Widespread structural and agricultural damage was also reported across the region.

The first tornado, a preliminary EF-3, began 3 miles south of Enderlin and tracked to the northeast across Highway 46 and was on the ground for 12 miles. Peak winds are estimated to be around 160 miles per hour.

The second tornado developed from the same supercell thunderstorm about 4 miles northeast of Enderlin and tracked to the southeast crossing Highway 46. It was on the ground for around 8 miles and has a preliminary rating of an EF-1.

The tornadoes derailed several train cars, a cell phone tower was toppled, crops destroyed, farm houses and buildings were destroyed and steel electrical towers were bent.