Storm leaves thousands without power in SW Minn.

Published 3:09 pm Wednesday, April 10, 2013

MANKATO, Minn. — Thousands are without power after an ice storm struck southwestern Minnesota.

Rachel Kruger, director of emergency services for the American Red Cross of South Central Minnesota, tells KTOE-AM in Mankato that both Rock and Nobles counties are about 90 percent without power.

The Minnesota Department of Public Safety says the Nobles County Government Center closed due to the power outages, while the local hospital is operating on generator power.

DPS spokesman Bruce Gordon says the National Guard armory in Luverne has opened to house 35 juveniles from a detention center that lost power.

The storm coated trees and power lines with ice. The next round of the storm is expected to dump several inches of wet snow across much of the southern half of Minnesota by Thursday.