Beltrami County (trfnews.i234.me) – Hurricane-force winds topping 105 mph ravaged the Bemidji area Friday night, prompting emergency declarations from both the city and county.
According to Emergency Manager Christopher Mhler, Beltrami County Board Chair Craig Glassfig enacted a state of emergency to speed up disaster response and open access to more recovery resources.
As of Saturday night, thousands remained without power due to severe infrastructure damage. Restoration may take several days. Mutual aid crews have been called in from across the region.
The Red Cross Emergency Shelter at the Sanford Convention Center remains open for displaced residents. Additionally, an emergency food drop—similar to Ruby’s Pantry but stocked with longer-shelf-life items—will be held Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
The National Weather Service and emergency management are still analyzing storm data. While no tornado has been confirmed, the damage is equivalent to a strong Category 2 hurricane.
The Bemidji Fire Department’s Facebook page provides debris cleanup info, and the Beltrami County Demolition Landfill will have extended hours through Monday to assist storm-impacted residents.
Please exercise extreme caution when clearing debris.
I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News.
