The deadly weekend storm that claimed three lives in Enderlin has devastated North Dakota’s agriculture industry, with damage still being tallied across the state. As first reported by the North Dakota Monitor, Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring says the storm system swept from southwest of Dickinson eastward, destroying grain handling systems and collapsing countless grain bins, resulting in tens of millions of bushels in storage losses.
The destruction extends far beyond grain facilities. Farmers have lost cattle, livestock buildings, and equipment worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. One spray pilot found his plane a quarter-mile from his destroyed hangar, with his $500,000 turbine motor damaged. Extension agents visiting affected areas report shredded crop fields and a destroyed grain elevator in Page.
Governor Kelly Armstrong declared a statewide disaster and plans to tour the damage this week. More than 36,000 people lost power, with over 3,000 still without electricity on Monday. The American Red Cross and North Dakota Community Foundation are providing relief assistance as communities rally to support affected farmers and families through this devastating agricultural disaster.
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